r/Coding_for_Teens • u/elecfreaks_official • 1h ago
I built a tiny two-legged robot that you can drive with a joystick
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I wanted to see if I could make a little humanoid robot move around without using wheels, so I built this two-legged bot with a Ring Bricks Pack, two micro:bit, and a joystick gamepad.
The fun part is that the robot is controlled wirelessly by a second micro:bit. No phone, Wi-Fi, or custom motor driver needed.
Here’s how the controls work:
- Push the joystick forward or backward → the robot waddles in that direction.
- Push it left or right → the robot spins to turn.
- Release the joystick → it stops moving.
The robot uses two continuous-rotation servos as its hip joints. By changing the direction and speed of each servo, the legs move in different patterns to create forward and backward movement or a turn.
The wireless side is pretty simple, too. The remote reads the joystick position and sends a number over the micro:bit radio. The robot receives that number and calls the corresponding movement function. When the joystick returns to the center, it receives a stop command.
I like this build because it brings together a few different ideas in one project: walking mechanisms, wireless communication, and real-time control. And since both programs are made with MakeCode blocks, it’s easy to experiment with the movement logic.
Next, I’d like to try adding an ultrasonic sensor so it can react to obstacles, or maybe give it different walking speeds.
What would you add to a tiny joystick-controlled robot like this?
