Alexander Robotics

I come from a computer science background and switching processes from developing software applications to building a physical object has been a learning experience. This “From Idea to Prototype” series will outline the steps I’ve taken and what I have learned along the way.

The first step in getting my idea for a robot to a prototype is also the most intuitive: draw it. Sketching the idea on paper seems obvious, but it’s a critical first step to planning a robot.

I bought a grid-lined paper notebook and just started sketching. The key, for me, is to keep the drawing sessions free-form — brainstorm. The first drawings were high level, focusing on basic functionality and form. I would drift into low-level details — wheel size, motor placement, for example — and back to higher-level.