ElectronBot
A complete open-source hardware and software kit for building a small desk robot inspired by WALL-E's EVE, includes PCB files, 3D-printable parts, firmware, and a desktop app to control its movements and animations.
ElectronBot is an open-source mini desktop robot that sits on a desk and displays animations on a small circular screen. The design was inspired by the robot EVE from the movie WALL-E. It connects to a computer over USB and has six degrees of freedom for movement: two for each arm (roll and pitch), one for the neck, and one for the waist. Custom-modified servo motors with position feedback handle the joints.
The repository is a complete hardware and software release intended to let other builders reproduce or extend the robot. It includes PCB schematics and board layout files in Altium Designer and Gerber formats, CAD model files in a universal format and in Fusion 360's native format, and structural parts designed for 3D printing. The main control board runs a STM32F4 microcontroller and drives a circular LCD display, while separate servo driver boards manage each joint motor.
On the software side, the project provides firmware source code for all the boards, a layered SDK, and a companion desktop application called ElectronStudio built with Unity. The SDK sits between the low-level hardware and higher-level application code, so developers can write programs that control the robot's display and movements without touching the firmware directly. A VS Code plugin is also provided for integrating robot control into an editor workflow. The repository notes that it includes animation packs with entry, loop, and exit segments for calling different expressions from code.
The README is written in Chinese. It covers construction tips including recommended 3D printing methods, servo modification steps, and assembly order. A voice recognition variant of the project is also referenced. Community discussion takes place through QQ groups and GitHub issues. There is a YouTube video showing the robot in action.
Where it fits
- Build your own 6-DOF desk robot by 3D printing the parts and ordering the PCBs from the provided design files.
- Write custom animation sequences and trigger them from code using the provided layered SDK.
- Integrate robot control into a VS Code workflow using the provided editor plugin to trigger movements while coding.
- Extend the robot with voice recognition using the referenced variant of the project.