Project Hub /Basic Analog & Power Electronics/Power Supplies & Voltage Regulators/Smart Desk Bot

Intermediate

MAIXDUINO

Project Specific

6 – 12 Hours

Partial Kit

Smart Desk Bot

A smart desktop robot powered by a Maixduino dev kit that features push-button and voice command controls, face detection, obstacle avoidance, and various interactive modes.

Originally published on CircuitDigest

View original tutorial

How It Works

The Smart Desk Bot is an interactive desktop robot orchestrated by the Maixduino dev kit, which integrates a GC0328 camera and a 2.4-inch TFT display (ST7789) to handle edge AI vision tasks like face detection. Powering the system is a 3.7-volt Li-Po battery connected to an XL6009 DC-DC boost converter, which steps up the battery voltage to reliably drive the broader circuit. Movement is controlled via an MX1508 motor driver wired to N20 motors, allowing the robot to navigate its environment. For spatial awareness and automation, the system relies on an IR sensor and a VL53L0X laser distance sensor for obstacle avoidance and distance measurement. User interaction is driven through a push button for physical inputs, a tiny speaker for audio output, and a WS2811 Neopixel LED strip for visual feedback and status indication. Basic components including transistors, resistors, and capacitors support signal conditioning, current limiting, and power stabilization across the various hardware modules.

Why Build This

Gain hands-on experience integrating edge AI vision, cameras, and displays into a functional desktop robot.

Learn how to manage power distribution using DC-DC boost converters and lithium polymer batteries for mobile electronics.

Develop practical programming and hardware skills in motor control, sensor interfacing, and interactive robotics.

Real-World Application

Desktop automation, voice-controlled smart assistants, small-scale robotics, and edge AI learning platforms.

Skills You'll Learn

DC-DC boost conversion

motor driver control

I2C sensor interfacing

edge AI vision processing

power management

digital input handling

Safety Precautions

Ensure correct wiring of the Li-Po battery and DC-DC boost converter to prevent short circuits and component damage.

Technology Tags

MAIXDUINO

N20 MOTOR

MX1508 MOTOR DRIVER

IR SENSOR

VL53L0X LASER DISTANCE SENSOR

WS2811 NEOPIXEL LED STRIP

XL6009 DC-DC BOOST CONVERTER

LI-PO BATTERY

CAMERA

TFT DISPLAY

VOICE RECOGNITION

FACE DETECTION

EDGE AI

IOT

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is a DC-DC boost converter required for the 3.7V Li-Po battery?

The XL6009 boost converter steps up the lower voltage of the single-cell Li-Po battery to provide a stable, higher voltage level required by the Maixduino dev kit, motors, and peripheral modules.

How does the robot detect and avoid obstacles on a desk?

It combines data from the IR sensor and the high-precision VL53L0X laser distance sensor to measure proximity and trigger navigation changes via the motor driver.

What is the function of the GC0328 camera and TFT display?

The camera captures visual input for edge AI tasks such as face detection, while the 2.4-inch ST7789 TFT display provides real-time visual output and user interface elements.

Gallery

This page is part of Kitkraft's Project Hub — a curated collection of electronics & robotics projects gathered from the maker community to help students and hobbyists discover and learn to build. Kitkraft does not claim authorship of the original project, and makes no representation as to the accuracy, completeness or safety of third-party source material. The summary and "How It Works" explanation above are AI-generated, rewritten with reference to the original tutorial — not a reproduction of it. Full credit and a direct link to the original source are provided above. If you're the original creator and have a concern about how your work is represented here, please contact us and we'll address it promptly.

Kitkraft Project Hub — curated from the maker community, credited at the source.

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