The Drawing Robot. Arduino C edition. The Evening Set
Available for: 11+ years old (to 17)
5 days, 04 - 08 Aug’25
From 12.30 until 15.40
The Drawing Robot project is designed for pupils aged 11 to 17 and introduces basic concepts of electronics, mechanics, and user interaction. In this project, students will build a compact robot arm that can draw simple shapes and patterns based on manual input using two potentiometers and two buttons. Unlike pre-programmed plotters, this robot is fully controlled by the user — every line, curve, or doodle is drawn in real time.
The core of the robot is powered by an ESP32 microcontroller. It controls three servo motors: two for moving the arm in the X and Y directions, and a third one for lifting and lowering the pen. Pupils will connect and assemble all components, including potentiometers to control movement and buttons to manage the pen’s up/down state and reset function. Through this, they’ll explore how analog input can be read and mapped to motion.
As part of the process, students will create a wiring diagram, build the robot using provided parts, and program it using the Arduino C programming language. They’ll learn how servo motors work, how to read analog signals from potentiometers, and how to convert those values into physical movement.
This project is designed to be taken home once completed. Pupils will not only build and code their robot but also take pride in customizing it, using it to draw, and showing it off to friends and family. It’s a creative blend of robotics, control, and hands-on design.
That is take home project!
The Camp Dates and Time
5 days, from Aug 04’25 until Aug 08’25
From 12.30 until 15.40
Age: from 11 years old (to 17)
Location
Richmond and Hillcroft Adult Community College.
Parkshot, Richmond TW9 2RE
The learning outcomes
- Understanding Servo Motors – Pupils will learn how servo motors work and how to control their precise movements using code.
- Analog Input with Potentiometers – They will explore how turning a knob (potentiometer) can control robotic motion by converting analog input into position values.
- Basic User Interface Design – Students will see how simple physical inputs like buttons and dials can be used to interact with a machine in real time.
- Hands-On Circuit Building – They will assemble and wire up the robot using an ESP32, servos, and input components, gaining confidence in working with electronics.
- Arduino C Programming Logic – Pupils will use the Arduino C programming language to write programs that interpret input signals and control multiple outputs at once.
- Creative Expression Through Robotics – By controlling the robot to draw custom shapes, students will connect engineering with art and creativity.
- Project Ownership and Customization – As a take-home project, the robot encourages ongoing learning and personalization outside the classroom.
There are some requirements exist for the course:
1. You must be confident in using a computer, keyboard and mouse. At the good user level.
2. Know how we save files on a computer, what a file and folders are, etc.
3. Be able to switch between windows in the operating system. Use the keys’ shortcuts.
4. No previous experience with 3D modeling is required.
5. No previous experience in Robotics is required.
6. You want to program robots and are not afraid to struggle with the difficulties of learning them.
7. Minimum previous experience with text-based programming is required. Ideally, you are able to make a program that performs basic maths operations with numbers. The programming language itself is not important.