Hexapod robot. The Morning Set

Description

In this hands-on robotics project, pupils build their own autonomous walking hexapod robot powered by an ESP32 microcontroller. Using servo motors, distance sensors, and custom electronics, pupils assemble and program a small multi-legged robot capable of walking forward, reversing, and reacting to nearby objects. By the end of the camp, every participant takes home a fully working robot that they built and programmed themselves.

The project introduces pupils to the core principles behind real walking robots and autonomous machines. Pupils learn how servo motors create controlled movement, how coordinated motion sequences generate a walking gait, and how electronic sensors allow robots to interact with the environment. The robot uses paired MG90S servo motors to control body tilt and leg movement, creating a stable walking mechanism inspired by real hexapod robots.

Before writing code, pupils design their wiring diagrams in Fritzing to understand how the robot’s electronics connect together. They assemble the ESP32 controller, ultrasonic distance sensor, power system, voltage regulation, and servo connections while learning how electronic circuits distribute power and control signals throughout a robotic system.

Once the hardware is complete, pupils begin programming the robot using RobiumCode, a visual block-based coding environment designed to make robotics programming accessible and engaging. Through drag-and-drop programming blocks, pupils create movement sequences, walking patterns, and sensor-based behaviours. They learn how timing, smooth servo transitions, and coordinated motion affect the robot’s stability and movement.

As pupils experiment with different movement patterns, they discover how robots balance themselves, transfer weight between legs, and use sensors to make decisions. Using the ultrasonic sensor, the robot can detect nearby objects and automatically move forward, stop, or reverse depending on the distance to obstacles or a user’s hand.

The project combines electronics, mechanics, embedded programming, power systems, and robotic motion control into one complete autonomous robot. Rather than simply assembling a kit, pupils gain practical engineering experience by debugging movement, tuning walking behaviour, and improving the robot’s performance through experimentation and programming.

At the end of the camp, each pupil takes their walking hexapod robot home to continue experimenting, modifying movement behaviours, improving the walking gait, and developing new autonomous features for their robot.