How to Make a Simple Robot With Everyday Supplies

Pick your LED lights and heat shrink., Clip a piece off of the heat shrink., Slide the LED through the heat shrink., Shrink the heat shrink with a Soldering Iron., Select the battery pack., Solder the LED and resistor to the battery pack., Bend four...

10 Steps 2 min read Medium

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. Step 1: Pick your LED lights and heat shrink.

    The two lights will form the robot's eyes.

    Optionally, get heat shrink tubing as well for added color.

    You won’t need more than 5 inches (13cm) of heat shrink for this project.
  2. Step 2: Clip a piece off of the heat shrink.

    Cut two small pieces of heat shrink, each about ½ inch (1.25cm) long.

    This should be small enough that the pins on your LED will poke out after sliding through the heat shrink. , If you are using heat shrink, push the LED through until the light-up tip peeks out.

    Repeat this process for the second LED. , Start up your Soldering Iron and bring it close to the LED lights and the heat shrink.

    The heat from the iron should shrink the tube.

    Hold the LED with pliers to protect your fingers from the heat. , Get a battery pack rated of about 3v.

    This should fit two AA batteries. , Take some insulated wire with the ends stripped.

    Solder these components as follows:
    Solder the negative (black) wire of the battery pack to the short terminal of the LED lights.

    Take a 100 ohm resistor (or a resistor close to that range).

    Without the resistor, the light will die out.

    Solder one pin of the resistor to the positive wire of the battery.

    Solder the other pin of the resistor to the LED's positive terminal.

    Connect the two positive pins of the two LED's.

    Connect the two negative pins of the two LED's. , Cut the paperclips such that they look like legs of the robot. , Solder the vibrating motor's wires to the positive and the negative wire of the battery holder. , Hot glue the motor on top of the battery holder.

    Attach the battery holder's wires to the motor pins. , Prop up your robot with the paper clip legs.

    Put the batteries in and watch your little robot light up and move.

    Keep it on a flat, smooth surface so it doesn't fall over.
  3. Step 3: Slide the LED through the heat shrink.

  4. Step 4: Shrink the heat shrink with a Soldering Iron.

  5. Step 5: Select the battery pack.

  6. Step 6: Solder the LED and resistor to the battery pack.

  7. Step 7: Bend four paperclips into legs.

  8. Step 8: Solder on your motor’s wires to the battery holder.

  9. Step 9: Hot glue the motor to the battery holder.

  10. Step 10: Finish your robot.

Detailed Guide

The two lights will form the robot's eyes.

Optionally, get heat shrink tubing as well for added color.

You won’t need more than 5 inches (13cm) of heat shrink for this project.

Cut two small pieces of heat shrink, each about ½ inch (1.25cm) long.

This should be small enough that the pins on your LED will poke out after sliding through the heat shrink. , If you are using heat shrink, push the LED through until the light-up tip peeks out.

Repeat this process for the second LED. , Start up your Soldering Iron and bring it close to the LED lights and the heat shrink.

The heat from the iron should shrink the tube.

Hold the LED with pliers to protect your fingers from the heat. , Get a battery pack rated of about 3v.

This should fit two AA batteries. , Take some insulated wire with the ends stripped.

Solder these components as follows:
Solder the negative (black) wire of the battery pack to the short terminal of the LED lights.

Take a 100 ohm resistor (or a resistor close to that range).

Without the resistor, the light will die out.

Solder one pin of the resistor to the positive wire of the battery.

Solder the other pin of the resistor to the LED's positive terminal.

Connect the two positive pins of the two LED's.

Connect the two negative pins of the two LED's. , Cut the paperclips such that they look like legs of the robot. , Solder the vibrating motor's wires to the positive and the negative wire of the battery holder. , Hot glue the motor on top of the battery holder.

Attach the battery holder's wires to the motor pins. , Prop up your robot with the paper clip legs.

Put the batteries in and watch your little robot light up and move.

Keep it on a flat, smooth surface so it doesn't fall over.

About the Author

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Beverly Jenkins

Writer and educator with a focus on practical DIY projects knowledge.

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