OpenBot
Based on published sources · Not tested by us ·
Overview
Smartphone-controlled wheeled robot platform; the reviewed DIY configuration combines an Arduino Nano and L298N driver, with phone and firmware requirements distinct from the advertised body cost. [S001]
OpenBot uses an Android smartphone for high-level robot functions and a microcontroller for motor control and vehicle sensors. This profile focuses on the documented DIY body with four TT gearmotors, an Arduino Nano and an L298N driver. Lite, custom-PCB, RC-truck and ready-to-run variants are alternatives with different configurations, not interchangeable assembly instructions. The reviewed repository release is v0.8.0. [S002] [S005] [S006] [S012]
Specifications
| Detail | Description |
|---|---|
| Type | DIY four-wheel smartphone-controlled vehicle; other body variants have separate configurations. Reported by source [S005] [S012] · Checked 2026-10-01 |
| Intended users | Makers with Android, soldering and microcontroller experience Editorial assessment [S001] · Checked 2026-10-01 |
| Assembly | Printed or sourced chassis and phone mount, motor wiring and electronics assembly for the selected DIY body. Reported by source [S005] · Checked 2026-10-01 |
| Calibration | Match firmware body profile, voltage/sensor settings and controller mapping; upstream directs initial checks without wheels. Reported by source [S006] [S008] · Checked 2026-10-01 |
| Operating system | Android; minimum API21 in reviewed build, feature-specific compatibility applies Reported by source [S007] [S010] · Checked 2026-10-01 |
| Computer needed | Android smartphone; computer with Android Studio for app changes and Arduino tooling for firmware upload. Reported by source [S006] [S007] · Checked 2026-10-01 |
3D preview
Preview not available yet. A model has not yet been prepared and approved for display on this page. This does not mean the project lacks CAD files; see Source files and licenses for the reviewed source availability.
Assembly and use
The headline cost covers the vehicle body
The project’s approximate $50 figure describes its small electric vehicle body. It does not establish the cost of a complete setup including a compatible smartphone. The DIY list also calls for three 18650 cells, a holder, USB OTG cable, fasteners and wiring; printing or sourcing the chassis and phone mount remains part of the build. Optional sensors and the chosen control device add configuration-specific requirements. A current complete delivered budget was not verified. [S001] [S005]
Select the firmware configuration before testing
The firmware guide requires the OPENBOT hardware setting to match the assembled vehicle: the L298N build uses DIY, while custom boards and other bodies have distinct settings. Voltage measurement, wheel sensors, sonar and other features have separate flags and dependencies. Bluetooth control of the vehicle is an ESP32 configuration option; it should not be assumed for the selected Nano body. [S006]
Upstream’s first firmware checks are performed with wheels removed. Verify motor commands and installed sensor readings before moving to the phone app. The app’s Robot Info screen reports the firmware’s body type and supported features, providing another place to compare the actual build with its configuration. This review did not flash a controller or perform those checks. [S006] [S008]
Android compatibility depends on the feature
The Android guide specifies a minimum API level of 21; the inspected robot build file uses compile SDK 33 and target SDK 32. Those settings are not a guarantee that every feature works on every eligible phone. The app guide warns of device-dependent crashes and unexpected behavior. Point-goal navigation specifically requires ARCore and camera permission, and the guide says proceeding on an unsupported device causes a crash. [S007] [S008] [S010]
For the selected USB configuration, the app guide gives a default serial rate of 115200. Check the controller-mapping screen before operating: the robot-app and policy-training guides describe different logging buttons, so a copied button name is not a reliable substitute for confirming the connected controller’s mapping. [S008] [S009]
Learned driving is a separate workflow
The policy guide describes collecting driving demonstrations, organizing training and test data, training in a TensorFlow 2.9-era environment and deploying a TensorFlow Lite model. The existence of that workflow does not establish navigation performance on a new phone, body or environment. This profile selects the physical platform and manual-control route; it does not qualify a particular model, dataset or training environment. No app build, model training or driving test was performed. [S008] [S009]
The repository contains an MIT license, but its separate disclaimer also prohibits malicious or unethical use. The interaction between that additional wording and the license has not been resolved here. The catalog therefore records source availability with this qualification rather than treating every design, dependency or downloaded model as unconditionally covered by the root MIT file. [S003] [S011]
Cost
No current, complete configuration-specific build cost has been established for this profile.
Source files and licenses
Available project sources support research coverage; complete build and commercial qualification remain separate.
| Layer | Availability / license |
|---|---|
| mechanical design | available · MIT Root MIT text exists alongside DISCLAIMER.md use restriction; interaction unresolved. Purchased components and externally supplied models are outside this license claim. [S003] [S005] [S006] [S007] [S011] [S013] |
| electronics | available · MIT Root MIT text exists alongside DISCLAIMER.md use restriction; interaction unresolved. Purchased components and externally supplied models are outside this license claim. [S003] [S005] [S006] [S007] [S011] [S013] |
| firmware | available · MIT Root MIT text exists alongside DISCLAIMER.md use restriction; interaction unresolved. Purchased components and externally supplied models are outside this license claim. [S003] [S005] [S006] [S007] [S011] [S013] |
| software | available · MIT Root MIT text exists alongside DISCLAIMER.md use restriction; interaction unresolved. Purchased components and externally supplied models are outside this license claim. [S003] [S005] [S006] [S007] [S011] [S013] |
| documentation | available · MIT Root MIT text exists alongside DISCLAIMER.md use restriction; interaction unresolved. Purchased components and externally supplied models are outside this license claim. [S003] [S005] [S006] [S007] [S011] [S013] |
Selected physical/manual-control configuration does not select a learned policy or dataset. Optional learned workflows require separate artifact and rights review.
References
Links identify the documentation and revisions used in this profile. Access dates record when each source was retrieved.
- S001 · isl-org / project contributors
Upstream project overview
Accessed 2026-10-01 · README.de-DE.mdSource notes
Source text inspected for the cited scoped claims; see profile claim notes.
- S002 · isl-org / project contributors
Repository revision and release metadata
Accessed 2026-10-01 · 11bf583dcdb8d8e530967bef9add379bbbc94610Source notes
Source text inspected for the cited scoped claims; see profile claim notes.
- S003 · isl-org / project contributors
Repository license
Accessed 2026-10-01 · LICENSESource notes
Source text inspected for the cited scoped claims; see profile claim notes.
- S004 · isl-org / project contributors
Pinned repository artifact inventory
Accessed 2026-10-01 · 11bf583dcdb8d8e530967bef9add379bbbc94610 archive file inventorySource notes
Source text inspected for the cited scoped claims; see profile claim notes.
- S005 · isl-org / project contributors
OpenBot v0.8.0: body/diy/README.md
Accessed 2026-10-01 · 11bf583dcdb8d8e530967bef9add379bbbc94610 / body/diy/README.mdSource notes
Source text inspected for the cited scoped claims; see profile claim notes.
- S006 · isl-org / project contributors
OpenBot v0.8.0: firmware/README.md
Accessed 2026-10-01 · 11bf583dcdb8d8e530967bef9add379bbbc94610 / firmware/README.mdSource notes
Source text inspected for the cited scoped claims; see profile claim notes.
- S007 · isl-org / project contributors
OpenBot v0.8.0: android/README.md
Accessed 2026-10-01 · 11bf583dcdb8d8e530967bef9add379bbbc94610 / android/README.mdSource notes
Source text inspected for the cited scoped claims; see profile claim notes.
- S008 · isl-org / project contributors
OpenBot v0.8.0: android/robot/README.md
Accessed 2026-10-01 · 11bf583dcdb8d8e530967bef9add379bbbc94610 / android/robot/README.mdSource notes
Source text inspected for the cited scoped claims; see profile claim notes.
- S009 · isl-org / project contributors
OpenBot v0.8.0: policy/README.md
Accessed 2026-10-01 · 11bf583dcdb8d8e530967bef9add379bbbc94610 / policy/README.mdSource notes
Source text inspected for the cited scoped claims; see profile claim notes.
- S010 · isl-org / project contributors
OpenBot v0.8.0: android/robot/build.gradle
Accessed 2026-10-01 · 11bf583dcdb8d8e530967bef9add379bbbc94610 / android/robot/build.gradleSource notes
Source text inspected for the cited scoped claims; see profile claim notes.
- S011 · isl-org / project contributors
OpenBot v0.8.0: DISCLAIMER.md
Accessed 2026-10-01 · 11bf583dcdb8d8e530967bef9add379bbbc94610 / DISCLAIMER.mdSource notes
Source text inspected for the cited scoped claims; see profile claim notes.
- S012 · isl-org / project contributors
OpenBot v0.8.0: body/README.md
Accessed 2026-10-01 · 11bf583dcdb8d8e530967bef9add379bbbc94610 / body/README.mdSource notes
Source text inspected for the cited scoped claims; see profile claim notes.
- S013 · isl-org / project contributors
Complete preserved artifact filenames
Accessed 2026-10-01 · 11bf583dcdb8d8e530967bef9add379bbbc94610 archive inventorySource notes
Source text inspected for the cited scoped claims; see profile claim notes.
Correction guidance · Discussion is not enabled · Profile format 0.6.0-draft.1