A new open source 3D-printable mobile robotic platform for education

Abstract

In this paper we present the Miniskybot, our new mobile robot aimed for educational purposes, and the underlying philosophy. It has three new important features: 3D-printable on low cost reprap-like machines, fully open source (including mechanics and electronics), and designed exclusively with open source tools. The presented robotic platform allows the students not only to learn robot programming, but also to modify easily the chassis and create new custom parts. Being open source the robot can be freely modified, copied, and shared across the Internet. In addition, it is extremely cheap, being the cost almost exclusively determined by the cost of the servos, electronics and sensors.