Build robots that think.
Robotics brings programming into the physical world. You'll use an Arduino microcontroller to read sensors, control motors and write logic that makes your robot respond to its environment — fully autonomously.
Designed by Babatunde Awoyemi, Techbase Consultant Services, Ibadan. 12 progressive lessons culminating in a full autonomous obstacle-avoiding robot build.
- Arduino IDE setup, sketches, pins and power
- Digital and analog inputs — buttons, LDR, temperature sensors
- DC motor control with the L298N driver module
- Ultrasonic distance sensing with the HC-SR04
- Servo motors, robot arms and movement
- Line following and IR remote control
- Full autonomous robot build with obstacle avoidance
Hardware can be purchased locally in Ibadan or online. Full kits are available at most electronics markets. Lessons include wiring diagrams for each component.
12 Lessons — One Robot
What robots are, how Arduino works, installing the IDE and your first sketch. 02Understanding the Arduino Board
Pins, power, digital vs analog, voltage levels and board variants. 03Your First Sketch — Blinking an LED
digitalWrite, delay, setup() and loop() — the foundation of every Arduino program. 04Digital Inputs — Push Buttons
Reading button presses with digitalRead, pull-up resistors and debouncing. 05Analog Inputs — Potentiometers & Sensors
analogRead, mapping values, LDR light sensors and temperature sensors. 06Controlling Motors — DC Motors & L298N
How DC motors work, using the L298N motor driver and controlling speed. 07Ultrasonic Distance Sensor (HC-SR04)
Measuring distance with echo timing, connecting HC-SR04 and reading cm values. 08Servo Motors & Robotic Arms
Servo library, controlling angle, sweeping motion and building a simple arm. 09Line Following Robot
IR sensors, reading analog/digital line values and proportional steering logic. 10Infrared Remote Control
Decoding IR signals with IRremote library, mapping buttons to actions. 11Building Your First Autonomous Robot
Combining motors, ultrasonic sensor and logic to avoid obstacles automatically. 12Capstone — Obstacle-Avoiding Robot
Full build guide: chassis assembly, wiring, code, calibration and testing.
Build as you learn.
Get the Hardware
Buy the components kit locally or online. A full list is in Lesson 01 with recommended sources.
Install Arduino IDE
Download and install the free Arduino IDE. Lesson 01 walks you through setup step by step.
Build Each Circuit
Every lesson includes a wiring diagram. Connect components to the breadboard as shown.
Upload & Test
Upload the sketch to your Arduino. Watch your robot respond. Debug, tweak, and improve.