ESP32 Robots: 10 Projects

From a pair of breathing LED eyes to a phone-controlled robot arm that records and replays its moves. Ten projects, easiest to hardest, covering the three skills every robot needs: sensing, actuation and control.

The ten robots you'll build

Every chapter includes

• The idea in plain English — why PWM dims an LED, what P and D actually do in PID.
• A pin-by-pin wiring table, with every voltage divider called out so you don't fry a pin.
• Complete code as separate .ino files — open them in Arduino IDE, no copying from a PDF.
• A tuning table: too fast, not turning enough, wobbling — which number to change.
• Challenges: 2–3 extensions per chapter, good for classes and robotics clubs.
• Troubleshooting for the places people actually get stuck.

Is it for you?

• Beginners who want to build robots with an ESP32 and are tired of piecing together outdated tutorials.
• Teachers and club leaders who need a graded sequence of projects.
• Parents building with teens (13+ recommended; an adult should handle the Li-ion batteries).

FAQ

Will it work with an Arduino Uno?

No. The projects use ESP32 Wi-Fi, the LEDC PWM peripheral and 3.3 V pin planning.

Why not just use older tutorials?

ESP32 core 3.0 changed the PWM API. Most tutorials written before 2024 use ledcSetup, which no longer compiles. Everything here uses the 3.x API.

Is there a Chinese edition?

Yes — 繁體中文版 is available now.