FōnBot - Fun, Friendly and Free Desktop Robot Companion Buddy (WIP)

Introducing FōnBot - a fun, friendly companion robot for everybody, for free.

Whether you were drawn to R2D2, BB-8, or Wall-E, if you've come to this page you probably share the dream of having a robot buddy. Employing the powerful computers we already carry in our pockets, FōnBot can be that buddy!

UPDATE - the most current .apk file & the .aia program file are now posted on my website here

FōnBot features:

1. Active eyes give "life" to FōnBot
2. Practical - tells the time
3. Clock settings for Size and Color
4. Settings for when to Wake up and Sleep
5. 4 Sounds buttons for staged interactions
6. limited Voice Recognition and response (in development)
7. Recognizes People and responds (future)

While there are other great robots out there, they often cost hundreds of dollars, and/or can take weeks or months to build. You can have your FōnBot up and running in minutes, for free. FōnBot's open source programming can be modified with the free MIT Ai2 - App Inventor. Right now, he's mostly a clock with personality. But I am slowly developing it.

Very simple -

1. an old phone, or your current one when not is use
2. FōnBot program, downloadable below
3. a body

3 Easy Steps -

1. create a Body
2. download and install the app
3. Settings

There are many options for a body - as shown in the photos: make one out of cardboard, an old soda bottle, or 3D print the .stl file from my website. More details in Steps 5, 6 & 7.

The app that brings FonBot to life is now on my website. Click here for the latest version.

1. Download the app
2. your phone may warn you against downloading an Unknown app
3. click "Download anyway"
4. you may have to go all GoogleDrive to install unknown apps
5. your phone may Scan it

Current Version:

FonBot has many settings.

1. Main Settings bar diagram

For a detailed explanation, watch the video below.

That's all you need to do to get your FōnBot up and running.

Below this are optional details, including how to add features through MIT App Inventor.

You can make a simple body for FonBot from cardboard. You can test it by making parts out of paper first.

1. Make a box to hold the phone (Photo 2 - white cardboard)
2. make a stand to hold the phone upright (Photo 2 - brown cardboard)
3. make a 'hoodie' for FonBot out of cardstock: download the pattern in Photo 3 - click it, click the download button, R-click, Save Image As... Print it, cut it out, tape it together; done.
4. make Feet. I just taped them on so I could remove them easily. The feet elevate him so I can insert a charge cable (with a 90 angle) underneath.

This body was just made from a plastic drink bottle. It doesn't have to be a Fuse Tea bottle, but it has a nice smooth curved shape to it. I spray-painted the inside white, so the outside it still shiny, and won't flake. I used the cardboard feet from my previous FonBot. The feet made him more stable, and elevate him so I can insert a charge cable (with a 90 angle) underneath.

FonBot's body was totally designed in TinkerCAD. If you want to learn 3D design, TinkerCAD is totally free, simple, and a great place to start. If you want to make one, download the file from the link below, or my website here

You will need to adjust the slot for the phone for your phone size:

The slot for you phone in TinkerCAD is known as a "hole"

Measure you phone - your Volume buttons and Camera are the widest points!

Make the dimensions of the hole to fit your phone, plus ~ 1 mm

It is fairly easy to add features to FōnBot by coding in MIT App Inventor 2 (Ai2). MIT Ai2 features intuitive graphical building-blocks and is used by over 14 Million people - kids to retirees - around the world. The picture above is a real program that will print the famous "Hello World" on you phone screen. Programming time: less than 1 minute.

More information - https://appinventor.mit.edu/about-us

The FonBot program file (.aia) isn't allowed to upload/download here, but you can get it at my website here

FōnBot's program is made with MIT App Inventor 2. It is rather complex. If you don't know Ai2, it's best to start with the Tutorials.

One small downside to Ai2 is the difficulty of finding things within a large program. Luckily, Ai2 features a button (highlighted in picture above) to take you to the Center of the programming space.

Therefore I have created a "map" in the center that will guide you to the main features in the programming. (Zoom out to see it all.)

For example, let's find the coding blocks that make the eyes (Ez) blink. Just to the right of center, we see "Ez Blink". Looking straight to the right - there's the code.

If you're interested in modifying FōnBot's code, the .aia file is on my website here

My personal FonBot also has apps running so that it tweedles at me when I come in the room, or I move. It is done with Tasker and an app called Motion Detector. Write me if you're interested. I hope to replace this with Image Recognition in MIT Ai2 someday.

My first FōnBot didn't even have eyes; i just used the camera lens on the back of the phone.

Then I began to develop the idea of using the screen to show expressions.

Photo 1 - just a cardboard stand with feet made of Dental Floss boxes cut in half. 2017

Photo2 - Foamboard legs and a Photoshopped face cover.

... but it wasn't very durable.

I've tried several other bodies since; there are many options:

Photo3 - Cardboard (2023) Instructable created

Photo4 - simple plastic bottle (2024)

Photo5 - 3D printed (2025)

The possibilities are limitless! Many body types are possible -

1. Photoshop from 2023 of a rough idea of what a 3D-printed body could look like. Now made!
2. With legs and servos, FonBot can be much more expressive, and walk around your desk. Note prototyping with paper & masking tape! This chassis is based off the style popularized by Bob the Biped and Otto DIY robots. There's lots of arduino codes to make it run. Here's the page to make a custom sized 3D print - https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2457865

Let me know what you come up with!

1/25/25 - I've finally gotten back to work on him.

I made a new, temporary body while I'm traveling, but I really like it!

3/25 - several updates to the app, including releasing Speech (a bit problematical)

5/20/25 - Massively updated this instructable. Wiped all the details of making a cardboard body to be more relevant now.

5/23/25 - I have loaded latest files onto this website as well.

NOTE - I have moved my latest files to a website. The latest version is now here