Battle Robot
An Arduino-driven combat robot built from second-hand parts and woodworking — took 2nd place, and led to me running the robotics club.
- Arduino
- Electronics
- Woodworking
In grade 11, I built a battle robot for an in-school robotics competition out of an Arduino, second-hand materials, and a fair amount of woodworking. Working within those constraints — making salvaged parts and scrap into something that could actually take a hit and keep moving — was most of the fun and most of the learning.
It placed 2nd in the competition, which I'm still proud of given what it was made from. More importantly, it's what pulled me deeper into the club: the next year, in grade 12, I became its General Manager.
This was the project that hooked me on building physical things — the moment where electronics, code, and a pile of materials became a machine that did something. Photos of the build are coming once I dig them out of my archives.