Meet your very own Instructables Robot Pal—a lively, interactive mini mascot designed to sit on your desk and bring personality into your creative space. Inspired by the iconic Instructables robot and created to celebrate 20 years of the Instructables community, this robot is more than just a decoration—it’s a playful companion that interacts with you in fun and surprising ways.

With a moving head powered by a servo, an LCD screen to display information, and buttons to switch between modes, your robot pal can display the current date and time, share random maker ideas to spark your next project, or show how old Instructables is as part of the anniversary celebration. Each mode is designed to add a touch of inspiration, creativity, and interactivity to your workspace.

Whether it’s sitting on your desk while you work on your next build or simply brightening your day with a fun random idea, the Instructables Robot Pal is a reminder of the joy of making, tinkering, and celebrating creativity. Build it, personalize it, and let your robot buddy bring a bit of movement, personality, and inspiration into your maker world!

Supplies

1. 3 x Tactile Push Buttons – for mode selection and interaction
2. 1 x 1602 LCD with I2C interface – to display time, ideas, and anniversary info
3. 1 x SG90 Micro Servo (with the provided screws) – for moving the robot’s head
4. 1 x Arduino Nano – the brain of your robot pal
5. 1 x Real Time Clock (RTC) Module – keeps track of date and time
6. A few Jumper Wires – for connecting components
7. 1 x USB Cable – for powering the Arduino
8. Roll of 3D Printer Filament – for printing the robot body

Tools

1. Soldering Iron – for connecting wires to the buttons
2. Wire Strippers – to prep wires for connections
3. Electrical Tape or Heat Shrink Tubing – for insulating wires
4. If using heat shrink tubing, a heat gun or lighter is required
5. Screwdriver – for assembling parts
6. Super Glue – for attaching 3D printed pieces if needed
7. Computer – for programming the Arduino Nano
8. 3D Printer (Bambu Lab printer recommended) – for printing the robot body
9. Slicer Software (Bambu Studio) – for preparing the 3D print files

Links

Tactile Push Button 1602 LCD with I2C SG90 Micro Servo

Arduino Nano Real Time Clock Module Jumper Wires Filament

The first step is to 3D print all the pieces that make up your Instructables Robot Pal. There are a total of six parts you’ll need to print:

1. Head
2. Body
3. Legs
4. 2 Hands
5. Back Panel

I printed mine on a Bambu Lab 3D printer using Bambu Studio as the slicer. Standard PLA filament works great for this build. If you have a multicolor printer, you can make the robot even more authentic by printing in the classic Instructables yellow and accent colors—but it works just as well in a single color.

Recommended Print Settings:

1. Layer Height: 0.2 mm (good balance of detail and speed)
2. Infill: 15–20% is strong enough for all parts
3. Supports: Recommended for the body and legs to ensure clean overhangs and proper fit
4. Finishing: No sanding required—just remove the parts and supports and they’re ready to assemble

Once you have all six parts printed, you’re ready to move on to the assembly stage and start bringing your robot buddy to life!

While your 3D prints are running, you can prepare the wiring harness. This step sets up power, ground, and shared signal lines so everything can plug neatly into the Arduino Nano.

⚠️ Safety Warning:

1. Never cut, strip, or solder a USB cable while it’s plugged in. Always unplug first.
2. Make sure 5V and GND never touch—a short can destroy your Arduino or computer.
3. Always double-check polarity before connecting power.

1. USB Power Cable

1. Cut off the device end of a USB cable (keep the computer side intact).
2. Strip the outer jacket, then separate the 5V (red) and GND (black) wires.
3. Add female jumper pin connectors to both so they can plug directly into the Arduino Nano.

2. Custom Wire Types (Make 2 of Each)

You’ll need four custom wires:

1. Type A (x2) – For power distribution (5V and GND)
2. One female pin on one end
3. Two female pins + one male pin on the other end
4. This lets you send 5V or GND to multiple places while keeping an option for plugging into a breadboard or Nano.
5. Type B (x2) – For A4 and A5 (I²C lines)
6. One female pin on one end
7. Two flat male pins on the other end
8. These are needed because both the LCD and the RTC module share the I²C pins (A4 = SDA, A5 = SCL).
9. After building them, I paired the two wires of each Type B together with electrical tape so they stay organized as a single cable.

3. Buttons in Parallel

1. Solder the three push buttons in parallel.
2. Tie all button grounds together into a single GND line.
3. For the outputs, attach female jumper connectors, giving each button its own signal wire to the Arduino Nano.

4. Wire Connections & Insulation

1. Connect wires by cutting, stripping, twisting, and then securing with electrical tape.
2. (Optionally use heat shrink tubing for a stronger, cleaner finish if you have a heat gun.)

Now you’ll have:

1. A safe USB power cable for the Arduino Nano
2. Splitters for distributing power (Type A)
3. Splitters for SDA and SCL signals (Type B)
4. Button wiring ready to plug into the Nano

Now that the hardware is wired up, it’s time to bring your Instructables Robot Pal to life with some code. The Arduino Nano acts as the “brain” of the robot—reading the button inputs, controlling the servo for head movement, keeping time with the RTC module, and showing information on the LCD display.

The program includes a few different modes that you can switch between using the buttons:

1. Clock Mode – Displays the current date and time from the Real-Time Clock module.
2. Idea Generator Mode – Shows fun random project ideas on the LCD to spark creativity.
3. Instructables Age Tracker – Calculates and displays how old Instructables is (in years and days) to celebrate the 20th anniversary.

Once the sketch is uploaded, pressing the buttons will cycle through these different modes, letting your robot buddy act as both a desk companion and a creative assistant.

To upload the program, you’ll need:

1. The Arduino IDE (downloadable from arduino.cc)
2. A USB cable to connect your Arduino Nano to your computer

In the next part of this step, I’ll share the full code you can copy into the Arduino IDE, verify, and upload.

In this step, you’ll connect all components to the Arduino Nano according to the pin mapping. Everything is organized with the correct wire types for safety and simplicity. Wiring Diagram

⚠️ Safety Warning:

1. Never power the USB cable until all components are connected correctly.
2. Ensure 5V and GND wires do not touch.

Wire Types and Connections

1. Power (5V and GND) – Use Type A wires to provide power to:
2. Servo
3. LCD
4. RTC module

1. Buttons:
2. Three buttons are soldered in parallel.
3. The common GND wire goes to Arduino GND.
4. Time Button → D2
5. Idea Button → D3
6. Age Button → D4
7. Each button’s signal wire uses a female jumper pin to connect to the corresponding digital pin.

1. Servo:
2. Signal wire goes to D5
3. Use a simple wire with female pin on one end, male pin on the other.
4. Power and ground come from the Type A splitters.

1. LCD and RTC:
2. SDA → A4
3. SCL → A5
4. Use Type B wires (female on one end, two flat male pins on the other) to connect both the LCD and RTC to these shared lines.
5. After connecting, wrap the two male pins together with electrical tape for neatness.

Do not plug in the USB power cable yet—everything should be connected but unpowered.

Before assembling all the 3D printed parts, it’s a good idea to test all the wiring. This step helps catch any mistakes early, so you don’t have to take the robot apart later if something isn’t working.

⚠️ Safety Warning:

1. Never power the USB cable until all components are connected correctly.
2. Double-check that 5V and GND wires do not touch, and ensure all connections are secure before applying power.
3. Testing with the wrong connections could damage your Arduino, components, or USB source.

Testing Steps:

1. Connect the Arduino Nano to the prepared USB power cable, but do not plug it into the computer yet.
2. Plug in all the components:
3. LCD display
4. RTC module
5. Servo for the head
6. Push buttons
7. Once all connections are verified, plug the USB into your computer or power source.
8. Check the buttons – Press each one to ensure it cycles through the different modes.
9. Check the LCD – Make sure the correct information is displayed for each mode:
10. Time and date
11. Random maker ideas
12. Instructables age (years/days)
13. Adjust the LCD contrast if needed using the small potentiometer on the back of the module. Turn it slowly until the text is clear and easy to read.
14. Check the servo – Ensure the head moves when triggered by the code.
15. Double-check power connections – Make sure 5V and GND are connected correctly and nothing is shorted.

✅ If everything works as expected, you’re ready to move on to final assembly.

⚠️ If something isn’t working, fix it now before putting parts together—this step saves time and avoids frustration later.

In this step, you’ll start building the robot by preparing the head piece.

Parts Needed:

1. 3D printed head piece
2. Short black wire (for the robot’s antennas)
3. SG90 micro servo arm and screw (included with the servo)

Assembly Steps:

1. Prepare the antenna wires:
2. Cut a short length of black wire.
3. Insert the wire into the head piece so that it sticks out like antennas.
4. Adjust them so they look symmetrical and are held securely.
5. Install the servo arm:
6. Place the servo arm in the bottom of the head where indicated.
7. Secure it using one of the screws provided with the servo.

✅ Once the head is ready with the antennas and servo arm secured, you can move on to adding the legs and hands in the next step.

In this step, you’ll add the legs and hands to your robot so it can stand up and wave hello.

Parts Needed:

1. 3D printed body piece
2. 3D printed legs
3. 3D printed hands (2 pieces)
4. Super glue

Assembly Steps:

1. Snap in the legs:
2. The legs simply snap into the slots at the bottom of the body.
3. Make sure they’re fully seated so your robot can stand steadily.
4. Glue the hands:
5. Check the orientation — the hands are not identical, so make sure each hand is positioned correctly.
6. Use a small amount of super glue to attach each hand to the side slots of the body.
7. Hold them in place for a few seconds until secure.

✅ Once the legs and hands are attached, your robot is ready for the head and back panel installation.

In this step, you’ll install the robot’s “control center,” including the LCD, buttons, and servo.

Parts Needed:

1. 3D printed body (from previous step)
2. 3 tactile push buttons (3)
3. LCD with I²C (1602)
4. SG90 micro servo
5. Super glue
6. Optional: sand paper and screw (from servo kit)

Assembly Steps:

1. Install the LCD:
2. Snap the LCD into the slot on the body.
3. If it’s a little tight, lightly sand the edges of the slot or LCD holder until it fits snugly.
4. Insert the buttons:
5. Place each button into its cutout.
6. Adjust so they sit straight and flush with the body.
7. Glue them in place with superglue to ensure you don’t end up pushing the button back from pushing the button.
8. Install the servo:
9. Slide the servo into the servo cutout.
10. Optional: Screw it in using one screw from the servo kit. One screw is enough if you choose to secure it.
11. No power connection is needed yet; wiring will come later.

✅ Once the buttons, LCD, and servo are in place, you are ready to put on the head!

In this step, your robot finally gets its head and front panel.

Parts Needed:

1. Assembled body
2. Assembled head
3. 3D printed button plate
4. Button caps
5. 
   

Assembly Steps:

1. Attach the head:
2. Carefully place the head on top of the body.
3. Make sure the servo arm from earlier fits neatly into the servo in the body.
4. Assemble the front panel:
5. Insert the button plate into the front slot — it should snap into place.
6. Press the button caps onto the buttons.

✅ Your robot now has a head and a finished front panel, and it’s starting to look like the Instructables mascot!

Now that your robot is mostly assembled, it’s time to reconnect all the electronics inside the body and do a mini test to make sure everything moves and the time module works.

Parts Needed:

1. Arduino Nano (programmed)
2. RTC module
3. LCD with I²C
4. SG90 servo
5. Tactile buttons
6. All prepared wires (Type A and Type B)
7. Computer with USB cable (for programming / Serial Monitor only)

Assembly Steps:

1. Reconnect the buttons:
2. Plug the button wires into their pins:
3. Time Button → D2
4. Idea Button → D3
5. Age Button → D4
6. Buttons are wired in parallel, with the common GND connected to Arduino GND.
7. Reconnect the servo:
8. Connect the servo signal wire to D5.
9. Power and ground come from the Type A splitters.
10. Bundle wires neatly with electrical tape if needed.
11. Reconnect SDA and SCL:
12. SDA → A4
13. SCL → A5
14. Use Type B wires to connect both the LCD and RTC.
15. Mini Test (without powering via USB cable):
16. Connect only the Arduino to your computer with the programming USB cable.
17. Open the Serial Monitor to adjust the RTC time.
18. Move the servo manually via code to check that the head position aligns properly.
19. Do not plug in the USB power cable — only use the computer connection for testing.

⚠️ Safety Reminders:

1. Only use the USB for programming/testing — do not power the robot yet.
2. Ensure 5V and GND wires do not touch.

✅ Once the wiring is correct, the head position and time are set, and everything is neatly bundled, your robot is ready for the final step: closing it up with the back panel.

It’s the final step! Your robot is almost complete, and now it’s time to connect the power and seal everything with the back panel.

Parts Needed:

1. Assembled robot with head, body, buttons, LCD, and servo
2. USB power cord (cut and prepared)
3. Optional: electrical tape for extra security

Assembly Steps:

1. Route the power cord:
2. Pass the USB power cord through the hole in the back panel so the wires will comfortably reach the Arduino pins inside the body.
3. Disconnect the Type A splitters:
4. Remove the Type A splitters from the Arduino pins for the pins to make way for the power from the usb.
5. Connect the power:
6. Plug the wires from the USB power cord into the Arduino:
7. One 5V wire goes to 5V of the Arduino and the other into the type A splitter for 5V
8. One GND wire goes to GND of the Arduino and the other into the type A splitters for GND
9. Before closing the back panel, wrap any exposed pin connections with electrical tape to prevent short circuits or accidental disconnections.
10. TEST BEFORE CLOSING:
11. Power the robot using the USB power cord and verify that:
12. LCD displays correctly
13. Buttons work
14. Servo moves the head as expected
15. If anything isn’t working, fix it before snapping the back panel in place.
16. Fit everything snugly and close the back panel:
17. Carefully tuck wires and components inside the body so they sit neatly.
18. Snap the back panel into place. It fits tightly, so watch your fingers to avoid pinching.

✅ Your robot is now fully assembled and powered!

Congratulations! By following this guide, you’ve brought your very own Instructables Robot Pal to life. From 3D printing the parts to preparing the wiring, programming the Arduino, and testing everything, you now have a playful, interactive companion for your desk that celebrates 20 years of creativity.

Your robot pal not only keeps track of the time and date but also inspires your next maker project with random ideas and reminds you of the milestone anniversary of Instructables. This project combines electronics, coding, and 3D printing into one fun and functional build, giving you hands-on experience with multiple maker skills.

Feel free to customize and expand your robot pal—change colors, add new modes, or integrate additional sensors. The possibilities are endless, and each adjustment is an opportunity to learn and experiment.

We hope this project sparks your creativity and reminds you why making and tinkering is so much fun. Share your finished build, modifications, or ideas with the Instructables community, and celebrate the joy of creating together!

🎉 Happy Birthday, Instructables! 🎉