Robotic Flexi Cactus Design
Budget: £10 – £20 GBP
I’d like a playful, interactive cactus that mounts on a small vase and behaves almost like a tiny robot. When I trigger it with a micro:bit the body should sway side-to-side and then spin a full 180°. The stem must remain visibly “soft”, so please design it with flexible joints or a TPU sleeve while still leaving firm pockets for the hardware.
Electronics I already have on hand
• micro:bit + matching extension board
• two micro servo motors for the wiggle and the rotation
• an ultrasonic sensor for proximity detection
• several RGB LED beads to make the pot glow
Your model needs to include precise seats and cable channels for all of the above, plus screw-posts or clips so I can open the shell, swap parts and run wires without tearing anything. The vase should hide the batteries and extension board while keeping the micro:bit’s display visible through a small window.
Deliverables
• 3D CAD files (STL and source) ready for FDM printing; flexible parts called out separately for TPU
• an exploded view or simple assembly guide showing where every board, servo, LED and sensor sits
• a wiring diagram that matches the micro:bit extension board pin-out
• short test code (MicroPython or MakeCode) proving the wiggle, rotation and LED reaction to the ultrasonic sensor
I’ll print and assemble here, so clear tolerances and step-by-step photos or renderings will be the key to acceptance. Feel free to recommend tweaks for balance, servo placement or weight distribution—everything has to move smoothly without toppling the vase.
Electronics I already have on hand
• micro:bit + matching extension board
• two micro servo motors for the wiggle and the rotation
• an ultrasonic sensor for proximity detection
• several RGB LED beads to make the pot glow
Your model needs to include precise seats and cable channels for all of the above, plus screw-posts or clips so I can open the shell, swap parts and run wires without tearing anything. The vase should hide the batteries and extension board while keeping the micro:bit’s display visible through a small window.
Deliverables
• 3D CAD files (STL and source) ready for FDM printing; flexible parts called out separately for TPU
• an exploded view or simple assembly guide showing where every board, servo, LED and sensor sits
• a wiring diagram that matches the micro:bit extension board pin-out
• short test code (MicroPython or MakeCode) proving the wiggle, rotation and LED reaction to the ultrasonic sensor
I’ll print and assemble here, so clear tolerances and step-by-step photos or renderings will be the key to acceptance. Feel free to recommend tweaks for balance, servo placement or weight distribution—everything has to move smoothly without toppling the vase.
Related categories:
Electronics
CAD/CAM
Solidworks
Manufacturing Design
Product Design
Robotics
3D Design
3D CAD