Skills

Build a Robot That Senses and Reacts

6 weeks · 0 milestones

Wire a sensor and motors, make the robot react to what it senses, and tune one behaviour with feedback control. Simulators count if you have no hardware.

Part of: Robotics · Proves for: Engineers, UG

Milestone map

3 milestones

Read one sensor and log it

1–2 weeks (1 hr/day)

Wire one sensor (distance, light or IMU) to a board and log its readings over serial. Move something in front of it and show the numbers change. Getting clean data in is the base of every robot.

Proof required

Link a video (30s+) of the sensor reacting to a real object, plus the code and a photo or simulator link of the wiring.

What gets checked

Readings change live as the object moves
Code is yours and runs as shown
Noise or bad readings are noted, not hidden

Common mistakes

Copying an example without changing anything
No video of it working
Wiring that only works when held in place

Powstik Guide

One sensor streaming real readings.

Steps

Pick one sensor you can get or simulate.
Wire it from the official guide.
Print readings to serial every 100 ms.
Film the numbers changing as you move an object.
Note the noise you see and one way to reduce it.

Template

Sensor log
Sensor:
Board:
Range tested:
Noise seen:
Fix tried:

What gets sent back

A photo with no live readings.
An unmodified library example.
No code shared.

Resources

Foundationstart here

Depthgo deeper

What a verifier looks for

Checked by the verifiers you invite to your panel (up to 3). Pick people who can judge the work, not friends.
Watch the values change with the object
Ask what the sensor's range and noise are

You'll sign in first, then come straight back here.

Make it move under control

2–3 weeks (1 hr/day)

Drive motors or servos so the robot moves, and use the sensor to change what it does — stop at a wall, follow a line, or turn toward light. Structure the logic as clear states.

Proof required

Link a video of the robot reacting to its sensor at least 3 times in a row, plus code with the behaviour written as named states.

What gets checked

Behaviour changes because of sensor input, not a timer
Works 3 times in a row on video
Logic is readable as states

Common mistakes

Timed moves that ignore the sensor
One lucky run edited together
Motors wired straight to the board pins

Powstik Guide

A robot that senses and reacts.

Steps

Drive motors through a driver or transistor, never straight from pins.
Write 2–4 named states (e.g. FORWARD, TURN, STOP).
Switch states only on sensor input.
Test 3 runs in a row without edits.
Film all three.

Template

States
STATE → trigger → next STATE

Run 1:
Run 2:
Run 3:

What gets sent back

Only timed moves.
A single run.
Motors powered from a GPIO pin.

Resources

Foundationstart here

Depthgo deeper

What a verifier looks for

Checked by the verifiers you invite to your panel (up to 3). Pick people who can judge the work, not friends.
Check the reaction is sensor-driven
Ask what happens if the sensor gives a bad reading

You'll sign in first, then come straight back here.

Tune it and explain the build

2 weeks

Improve one behaviour with feedback control (for example a PID loop for line following or distance holding). Write a short build note and walk a reviewer through it live.

Proof required

Submit a before/after video of the tuned behaviour, the build note (300+ words: parts, wiring, control logic, what you tuned) and the review session log.

What gets checked

A measurable improvement (error, time or smoothness)
Build note lets someone else rebuild it
Reviewer asked real questions and you answered

Common mistakes

Gains picked at random with no test
No before/after comparison
A reviewer who only watched

Powstik Guide

A tuned behaviour and a build note.

Steps

Pick one behaviour to improve.
Measure it before tuning.
Tune one gain at a time and record results.
Film the final behaviour.
Explain the build to a reviewer and log the questions.

Template

Review session log
Date:            Duration:
Reviewer name:
Reviewer role and experience:

Challenge 1 (control loop and tuning):
  What they asked:
  My answer:
Challenge 2:
  What they asked:
  My answer:

Change I made after the session:

What gets sent back

No measurement before tuning.
No written build note.
No review session.

Resources

Foundationstart here

Depthgo deeper

What a verifier looks for

Checked by the verifiers you invite to your panel (up to 3). Pick people who can judge the work, not friends.
Compare the before and after runs
Ask how the gains were chosen

You'll sign in first, then come straight back here.

Part of

Robotics & Embedded AI →Robotics 2: Build →

Related outcomes

Milestone map

3 milestones

Read one sensor and log it

1–2 weeks (1 hr/day)

Wire one sensor (distance, light or IMU) to a board and log its readings over serial. Move something in front of it and show the numbers change. Getting clean data in is the base of every robot.

Proof required

Link a video (30s+) of the sensor reacting to a real object, plus the code and a photo or simulator link of the wiring.

What gets checked

Readings change live as the object moves
Code is yours and runs as shown
Noise or bad readings are noted, not hidden

Common mistakes

Copying an example without changing anything
No video of it working
Wiring that only works when held in place

Powstik Guide

One sensor streaming real readings.

Steps

Pick one sensor you can get or simulate.
Wire it from the official guide.
Print readings to serial every 100 ms.
Film the numbers changing as you move an object.
Note the noise you see and one way to reduce it.

Template

Sensor log
Sensor:
Board:
Range tested:
Noise seen:
Fix tried:

What gets sent back

A photo with no live readings.
An unmodified library example.
No code shared.

Resources

Foundationstart here

Depthgo deeper

What a verifier looks for

Checked by the verifiers you invite to your panel (up to 3). Pick people who can judge the work, not friends.
Watch the values change with the object
Ask what the sensor's range and noise are

You'll sign in first, then come straight back here.

Make it move under control

2–3 weeks (1 hr/day)

Drive motors or servos so the robot moves, and use the sensor to change what it does — stop at a wall, follow a line, or turn toward light. Structure the logic as clear states.

Proof required

Link a video of the robot reacting to its sensor at least 3 times in a row, plus code with the behaviour written as named states.

What gets checked

Behaviour changes because of sensor input, not a timer
Works 3 times in a row on video
Logic is readable as states

Common mistakes

Timed moves that ignore the sensor
One lucky run edited together
Motors wired straight to the board pins

Powstik Guide

A robot that senses and reacts.

Steps

Drive motors through a driver or transistor, never straight from pins.
Write 2–4 named states (e.g. FORWARD, TURN, STOP).
Switch states only on sensor input.
Test 3 runs in a row without edits.
Film all three.

Template

States
STATE → trigger → next STATE

Run 1:
Run 2:
Run 3:

What gets sent back

Only timed moves.
A single run.
Motors powered from a GPIO pin.

Resources

Foundationstart here

Depthgo deeper

What a verifier looks for

Checked by the verifiers you invite to your panel (up to 3). Pick people who can judge the work, not friends.
Check the reaction is sensor-driven
Ask what happens if the sensor gives a bad reading

You'll sign in first, then come straight back here.

Tune it and explain the build

2 weeks

Improve one behaviour with feedback control (for example a PID loop for line following or distance holding). Write a short build note and walk a reviewer through it live.

Proof required

Submit a before/after video of the tuned behaviour, the build note (300+ words: parts, wiring, control logic, what you tuned) and the review session log.

What gets checked

A measurable improvement (error, time or smoothness)
Build note lets someone else rebuild it
Reviewer asked real questions and you answered

Common mistakes

Gains picked at random with no test
No before/after comparison
A reviewer who only watched

Powstik Guide

A tuned behaviour and a build note.

Steps

Pick one behaviour to improve.
Measure it before tuning.
Tune one gain at a time and record results.
Film the final behaviour.
Explain the build to a reviewer and log the questions.

Template

Review session log
Date:            Duration:
Reviewer name:
Reviewer role and experience:

Challenge 1 (control loop and tuning):
  What they asked:
  My answer:
Challenge 2:
  What they asked:
  My answer:

Change I made after the session:

What gets sent back

No measurement before tuning.
No written build note.
No review session.

Resources

Foundationstart here

Depthgo deeper

What a verifier looks for

Checked by the verifiers you invite to your panel (up to 3). Pick people who can judge the work, not friends.
Compare the before and after runs
Ask how the gains were chosen

You'll sign in first, then come straight back here.