DIY - Motion Sensor Based Robot Head Movement Kit - MPU6050, Arduino Nano and SG90 Servo Motor

Overview

A robot "head" that tilts and turns in response to motion sensed by an onboard accelerometer and gyroscope — a hands-on intro to motion sensing and servo control together.

How It Works

1. The MPU6050 continuously reports orientation and tilt data to the Arduino Nano over I2C.
2. The Arduino Nano translates this motion data into servo angle commands.
3. The servo moves the "head" to track and mimic the detected motion.

Complete Parts List

You Will Also Need

A USB-A to USB-C cable to connect the Arduino Nano C-Type to your computer and upload code — not included in this kit.

Applications

• Expressive robot heads for social or educational robots
• Gesture-controlled mechanisms
• Motion-mimicking demos for teaching accelerometer/gyroscope concepts

Full Build Guide

Step-by-step instructions and code for this exact project are on Project Hub.

FAQ

Do I need coding experience? No prior experience is required — this kit is built around one specific project, and the full code is freely available. See the build guide above.

What tools do I need beyond what's included? A computer with the free Arduino IDE (or ESP32/ESP8266 board support, where applicable) installed to upload the code. No soldering is required for this build. You'll also need a USB-A to USB-C cable to connect the board — not included.

Can I reuse the parts afterward? Yes — every component in this kit is a standard, reusable part you can use in future projects, not a single-use kit.