Earlier this year, some university students with a background of mechanical engineering from Massachusetts set out on a journey using Arduino Alvik to explore the intersection of creativity, technology, and engineering. Through a series of inventive projects during a week-long hackathon, they turned Alvik into a canvas for their ideas, showing how design thinking can transform simple robotics into imaginative creations.
Arduino Alvik - more than “just a robot”
Alvik isn’t like other robots. It’s a versatile tool that invites students to customize and personalize their robotic creations with LEGO® Technic connectors, M3 screws, and 3D printing. This flexibility opens up endless possibilities for creative design, encouraging students to craft projects that reflect their unique visions. By pairing Alvik with physical components, students can easily transform a robot into something entirely their own, sparking creativity and innovation in the process.
The walking fan
Hackathon participants Jana, Breoghan, and Ryan teamed up to transform Alvik into a walking fan. The students used LEGO® components to construct the fan on top of the robot. However, their aim wasn’t just to blow air around the room; they wanted to create an interactive device that could respond to different inputs such as button presses and angle and distance sensors.
This hands-on experiment highlighted how practical design can integrate interactive, responsive elements, creating technology that adapts to its surroundings and the needs of its user.
The smirking panda
Inspired by their interest in animal behavior, Aengus, Denise, and Santiago transformed Alvik into a robotic smirking panda. The team used the LEGO® compatible holes to build the panda on top of the robot, adding creative flair to their project. But the creativity didn’t stop there. They also programmed Alvik to “dance” by moving it forward and backward in a way that mimicked the panda's playful demeanor.
This project highlights how simple design elements can bring technology to life in an imaginative way. By merging engineering with artistic creativity, the team demonstrated how Alvik can help to bridge the gap between technical skills and creative expression.
ChatGPT meets Alvik
Meanwhile, fellow hackathon participants Adrien and Ryan paired Alvik with AI chatbot technology. The students prompted ChatGPT to program Alvik to draw different patterns and figures including a star, a USA map, the word "Hello" in cursive, and a circle. The results were mixed. While the star was a success, the other designs didn’t come out quite as planned using the ChatGPT-generated code alone.
This experiment provides an interesting insight about utilizing large language models for coding tasks. It turns out that simply generating the code and uploading it to the robot wasn’t enough to achieve perfect results. Students still need to roll up their sleeves and debug the code to get the outcomes they want.
It shows that while AI can be a great tool, human input and problem-solving are still key to making things work smoothly!
Feeling inspired? You can also follow our free project-based courses to get started with Alvik and learn robotics and MicroPython coding.