RobArt – Introduction

RobArt is an experimental, free-roaming drawing robot (drawingbot) that can create arbitrarily large drawings on the floor with its pens – essentially a mobile print head. I call it a Plobot – a mix of plotter and robot.

The Name

Robot · Omni-directional · Bluetooth · ART

Concept

While traditional pen plotters are limited in size, RobArt can theoretically work on unlimited surfaces. This opens up entirely new possibilities for large-scale generative art.

┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                      iOS/macOS App                        │
│          (Bluetooth, SVG Editor, Control)                 │
└─────────────────────────┬─────────────────────────────────┘
                          │ Bluetooth
                          ▼
┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                    Raspberry Pi                           │
│         (SVG Parsing, Coordination, Path Planning)        │
└─────────────────────────┬─────────────────────────────────┘
                          │ Serial
                          ▼
┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                       Arduino                             │
│           (AccelStepper, Real-time Control)               │
└───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Features

Area Features
Chassis 3-wheel omnidirectional (120° arrangement)
Pens 5 pens with servo lift mechanism
Kinematics Full X/Y movement + rotation
Input SVG paths, G-Code
Control iOS/macOS app via Bluetooth
Integration Optional Socket.IO with Art.Works! Studio

Workflow

  1. Design – Create or generate SVG in App or Art.Works! Studio
  2. Connect – Bluetooth pairing with RobArt
  3. Position – Place robot on drawing surface
  4. Calibrate – Zero point and pen height
  5. Draw – Transfer and execute paths
  6. Monitor – Live status in app

Hardware Overview

  • Dual-Controller – Arduino (stepper timing) + Raspberry Pi (coordination)
  • NEMA 17 Stepper Motors – Precise 1.8° step angle
  • Omnidirectional Wheels – 58mm diameter, 3× at 120°
  • Power – LiPo 4S 14.8V or mains via boom stand

Links