Aurora Robotics

Robotic Arm Track

An 8-week hands-on practical curriculum from Aurora Robotics. Learners start with a blinking LED and finish with a wirelessly controlled 6-DOF robotic arm and a teleoperated capstone project.

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Africa's One Stop Robotics Solution, Built in Nigeria. Prepared by Aurora Robotics, July 2026.

A 6-DOF aluminium robotic arm on a workbench
8

weeks of hands-on practical work

1

hour per class

8

mini projects, one for each week

6

servos, one for each degree of freedom of the arm

About the track

The Robotic Arm Track is a hands-on practical workshop that is backed by simulation.

This page sets out the full curriculum for the track. Each week lists its learning objectives, the key concepts, the session activities, a core task, a stretch task where one applies, the expected deliverable and the homework.

Learners build and test every circuit in a browser simulator before they wire real hardware. The same small toolset carries a learner from the first LED to the teleoperation capstone, and all of the software is free.

Every week ends with a mini project that is committed to GitHub, so each learner finishes with a full record of their work.

Hands-on practical

Learners wire, code and test real hardware in every week of the track.

Simulation backed

Tinkercad and Wokwi let learners test a design in the browser before they touch a wire.

GitHub from week 1

The first LED program starts a repository that grows with every deliverable.

Standardised kit

Each learner or team works from the same core kit, which carries Weeks 1 to 7.

Curriculum at a glance

Each week has one focus and one core deliverable. Select a week to jump to its full breakdown.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course, learners will be able to do the following.

Explain, in plain language, what a microcontroller is and how a robot senses and acts on the physical world

Write and upload Arduino code to read inputs, drive outputs and debug over the serial monitor

Control servo motors with PWM, including the arm's six digital servos, and enforce safe angular limits

Wire and read sensors, including the HC-SR04 ultrasonic sensor, and display data on an I2C OLED

Drive DC motors through an L298N H-bridge with PWM speed and direction control

Establish wireless control over Bluetooth (HC-05 and HC-06) and design a compact command protocol

Build a mobile robot and an autonomous obstacle-avoiding robot from those subsystems

Assemble, map, calibrate and wirelessly control a six degree of freedom robotic arm

Implement a teleoperation link (gamepad to robot) and document a complete project on GitHub

Tools and platforms

All software used in the track is free. The same small toolset carries a learner from the first LED to the teleoperation capstone.

Arduino IDE

Writing and flashing microcontroller code (Weeks 1 to 8)

Wokwi

Browser-based simulator for Arduino and ESP32; build and test before hardware

Tinkercad

Browser-based circuit and Arduino simulator; wiring practice and quick demos

Arduino Servo library

Driving the arm's servos and generating stable PWM

Bluetooth terminal or controller app

Phone-side control of the car and the arm over HC-05

VS Code with Remote SSH

Capstone workflow for editing code that runs on the Raspberry Pi

Python 3, Pygame and PySerial

Capstone: reading the PS5 controller and bridging to the Arduino

Bluepad32

Capstone: reading a DualSense controller directly on the ESP32

Git and GitHub

Version control and the weekly deliverable home

Learners using laptops and simulators in a robotics workshop

Hardware

Each learner or team works from a standardised kit. The core kit carries Weeks 1 to 7. The capstone add-ons are shared or optional, depending on the Week 8 project.

Controllers

  • Arduino Nano (arm)
  • Arduino Uno (session builds)
  • ESP32 dev board

Arm platform

  • 6-DOF aluminium arm kit
  • Nano servo expansion shield
  • 6 x TD81-20MG digital servos

Actuators and driver

  • L298N motor driver
  • DC gear motors
  • 2WD chassis

Sensors and display

  • HC-SR04 ultrasonic sensor
  • SSD1306 I2C OLED
  • Analog joystick module

Wireless

  • HC-05 Bluetooth module
  • HC-06 for comparison

Power

  • External servo power supply
  • Motor battery pack
  • Data cables

Prototyping

  • Breadboard
  • Jumper wires
  • Resistor and LED kit
  • Push buttons

Capstone add-ons

  • Raspberry Pi 5
  • microSD with Raspberry Pi OS
  • PSU
  • PS5 DualSense controller

A note on pricing

  • Item-level pricing and vendor links are kept in a companion procurement sheet. Any figures quoted in Naira are indicative estimates and will be finalised against that sheet.
Arduino boards, servos, sensors and jumper wires laid out on a table

Detailed weekly curriculum

The eight weeks fall into four stages. The early weeks build the subsystems that the robotic arm brings together in Week 7.

Weeks 1 and 2: Foundations

Learners meet the controller, install the tools and write their first programs. Every exercise is simulated before it runs on hardware.

An Arduino Nano board connected to a breadboard
1

Foundations of Robotics and Arduino

Every robot begins with a controller.

Learning objectives
  • Understand what a robot and a robotic arm are
  • Explain what a microcontroller is and why it is the brain of a robot
  • Differentiate between Arduino as an ecosystem and the ATmega328P microcontroller
  • Become familiar with the Arduino Nano used in the robotic arm
Key concepts introduced
  • Introduction to robotics and the anatomy of the 6-DOF arm hardware (Nano, expansion shield, six servos, HC-05)
  • What a microcontroller is, and the Arduino ecosystem around it
  • Arduino Nano architecture and the ATmega328P at its heart
  • Inputs versus outputs, and digital versus analog signals
Session activities
  • Install the Arduino IDE and select the correct board and port
  • Simulate a blinking LED in Tinkercad, then connect an Arduino and upload the same first program
  • Blink the onboard and external LED on real hardware and confirm it on the serial monitor
  • Tour the assembled robotic arm and identify its major parts
Task

Control an LED with Arduino: blink at a fixed interval, simulated first and then on hardware. Commit to a new GitHub repository as the track's first project.

Deliverable

A short video of the blinking LED plus a serial monitor screenshot, in the GitHub repo.

Homework

Read about the differences between the Arduino Uno and Nano.

2

Programming for Robotics

Good robots begin with good code.

Learning objectives
  • Understand how robots are programmed
  • Learn the structure of an Arduino program
  • Write clear, reusable Arduino code
Key concepts introduced
  • Programming languages for robotics: C and C++, graphical tools, and Python's role
  • The Arduino IDE, and the setup() and loop() structure
  • Variables and functions for readable, reusable sketches
  • Digital inputs and outputs, and the serial monitor as a debugging window
Session activities
  • Write several small sketches, simulating each in Tinkercad or Wokwi before flashing
  • Read button inputs cleanly and control LEDs in response
  • Use the serial monitor to trace and debug program behaviour
Core task

Build a traffic light controller using non-blocking timing, simulated then run on an Uno. Commit to GitHub.

Stretch task

Add a pedestrian button that interrupts the cycle, using millis() rather than delay().

Deliverable

A video of the traffic light sequence plus the serial output, committed to GitHub.

Homework

Simulate a two-LED alternating circuit in Tinkercad and use the serial monitor.

Weeks 3 and 4: Motion and sensing

Learners drive servo motors with PWM, then read an ultrasonic sensor and show the data on an OLED display.

Digital servo motors on a workbench
3

Understanding Actuators and Robot Motion

Movement begins with actuators.

Learning objectives
  • Understand how servo motors work
  • Learn PWM and pulse width control
  • Control multiple servos at once
Key concepts introduced
  • What an actuator is, and servo motor fundamentals
  • The TD81-20MG digital servo and its pulse width range of 500 to 2500 microseconds
  • PWM signals and the Arduino Servo library
  • Multi-servo control, and the six degrees of freedom: base, shoulder, elbow, wrist, wrist rotation and gripper
Session activities
  • Control one servo through its range, simulated first and then on hardware
  • Control two servos, then create synchronised movement between them
  • Introduce the external servo power supply and a shared ground before driving multiple servos
Core task

A servo-based pick-and-place motion demo across two or three joints, simulated then run on hardware. Commit to GitHub.

Deliverable

A video of the servo motion demo, committed to GitHub.

Homework

Simulate 6 servo motors in Tinkercad and control each using a potentiometer.

4

Sensors and Communication

Robots become intelligent when they can sense the world.

Learning objectives
  • Interface a sensor with Arduino
  • Learn serial and I2C communication
  • Display sensor information on a screen (OLED and LCD)
Key concepts introduced
  • The HC-SR04 ultrasonic sensor: distance measurement and trigger and echo timing
  • Serial communication for reading values back
  • The I2C bus and the SSD1306 OLED display
  • LCD versus OLED displays, and an introduction to communication protocols
Session activities
  • Measure distance with the HC-SR04, simulated first and then on hardware
  • Display live readings on the OLED over I2C
  • Monitor sensor values on the serial monitor and handle out-of-range readings
Task

A digital distance measurement system that shows live distance on the OLED, simulated then on hardware. Commit to GitHub.

Deliverable

A video of the distance readout changing on the OLED as an object moves, committed to GitHub.

Homework

Using a servo motor (SG90) and an ultrasonic sensor (HC-SR04), simulate and implement an Arduino radar system.

Weeks 5 and 6: Mobility and autonomy

Learners build a Bluetooth-controlled car, then add a scanning sensor so that the robot avoids obstacles on its own.

A 2WD robot car chassis with an L298N driver and an ultrasonic sensor
5

Robot Mobility

Before controlling a robotic arm, learn how robots move.

Learning objectives
  • Understand DC motors
  • Learn H-bridge motor control
  • Build a mobile robot platform
Key concepts introduced
  • DC motors and the L298N motor driver
  • H-bridge theory, and the analog electronics behind an H-bridge built from transistors
  • PWM speed control and motor direction control, and battery power
  • Bluetooth modules HC-05 and HC-06, and Bluetooth communication
Session activities
  • Wire the L298N and test each direction one at a time, simulated first
  • Control motor speed with PWM and reverse direction on command
  • Connect the HC-05 and drive the platform from a phone
Task

A Bluetooth-controlled robot car, simulated then run on hardware. Commit to GitHub.

Deliverable

A video of the car driven live from a phone, committed to GitHub.

6

Autonomous Robotics

Programming robots to think.

Learning objectives
  • Build an autonomous robot
  • Combine sensors with actuators
  • Make decisions in Arduino code
Key concepts introduced
  • Obstacle detection and ultrasonic scanning
  • A servo-based sensor mount that sweeps the environment
  • Robot navigation logic and autonomous movement
  • An introduction to robot algorithms and simple state machines
Session activities
  • Mount the HC-SR04 on a servo and scan the surroundings, simulated first
  • Detect obstacles and choose the clearest path
  • Make and tune navigation decisions on hardware
Core task

An obstacle-avoidance robot that senses, decides and drives on its own, simulated then on hardware. Commit to GitHub.

Stretch task

Scan several angles and steer toward the most open direction; tune thresholds to stop oscillation.

Deliverable

A video of the robot avoiding obstacles autonomously, committed to GitHub.

Weeks 7 and 8: The arm and the capstone

Everything from the earlier weeks is combined in the 6-DOF arm. The capstone adds a gamepad link and a live presentation.

A 6-DOF robotic arm picking up an object
7

The 6-DOF Robotic Arm

Everything built so far comes together.

Learning objectives
  • Understand the complete robotic arm system
  • Learn how every subsystem works together
  • Control the robotic arm wirelessly
Key concepts introduced
  • The complete robotic arm architecture, the Nano expansion shield and HC-05 integration
  • Servo mapping, motion sequences and pick-and-place programming
  • Calibration and safety limits
  • An introduction to robot kinematics (concept only)
Session activities
  • Program complete arm movements and build repeatable motion sequences
  • Calibrate joints and clamp angles to safe ranges in code
  • Control the arm over Bluetooth from a phone
Core task

A Bluetooth-controlled 6-DOF robotic arm running a repeatable motion sequence on hardware. Commit to GitHub.

Deliverable

A video of the arm performing a Bluetooth-controlled sequence, committed to GitHub.

8

Capstone Project

Build something that solves a real problem.

Learning objectives
  • Integrate everything learned throughout the course
  • Develop confidence in designing and debugging a complete robotic system
  • Present a working engineering project end to end
Session activities
  • Integrate the chosen subsystems into one working system
  • Test and troubleshoot end to end, isolating faults methodically
  • Document the build on GitHub with code, wiring and media
  • Prepare and rehearse a short project presentation
Core task

Complete and demonstrate one capstone project live, driving the robot end to end.

Stretch task

Mount the arm on the mobile base and drive both from one controller, or add further safety features.

Final deliverable

Each participant presents a fully functional robotic system, explains its hardware and software architecture, demonstrates its operation, and uploads the complete project (code, circuit diagrams, documentation and media) to GitHub.

Capstone options

A robotic arm controlled with a PS5 DualSense controller
Project 1

Teleoperated 6-DOF Robotic Arm

A PS5 DualSense controller connects to a Raspberry Pi 5 over Bluetooth. The Pi reads the controller in Python and sends compact command bytes to the Arduino Nano over USB serial, and the Nano moves the arm's servos.

The control loop adds a deadzone, debounce, rate limiting and an emergency stop, so fast inputs never make the arm jerk. The workflow uses VS Code Remote SSH to edit code that runs on the Pi.

Reference: the Aurora and Ademosu project on GitHub, ps5-rpi5-robotic-arm.

A small teleoperated mobile robot with a differential drive base
Project 2

Teleoperated Mobile Robot

A DualSense controller connects directly to an ESP32 over Bluetooth using Bluepad32, with no phone. The D-pad drives a differential-drive base through an L298N with LEDC PWM and a software speed cap.

The face buttons run accessories: a servo lid, an LED toggle and a buzzer horn. The motors stop the instant the controller disconnects.

Reference: the Aurora and Ademosu project on GitHub, Teleoperated-Mobile-Robot.

Instructors

The track is led by Aurora Robotics with one lead and one support instructor.

Lead Instructor

Oluwatobi Ademosu

Leads the Robotic Arm Track.

Support Instructor

Sulaiman Olanewaju

Supports the Robotic Arm Track.