BOX-E — Indoor Mapping Robot
Since August 2024 — Paused
A home robot that mapped and localized itself with LiDAR, announcing its location out loud. BOX-E was built to explore what happens when robots become spatially aware and vocal at the same time.
1. The Starting Point
We wanted a robot at home that wasn’t only functional, but present — one that could tell you where it was instead of hiding in the background. With LiDAR sensors and open robotics tools becoming more accessible, we asked: what if we built a simple robot that knows where it is, and says it out loud?
2. What We Built
BOX-E lived inside a friendly cardboard shell and could:
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Navigate indoors using SLAM and LiDAR
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Localize itself in real time
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Announce its position in multiple languages (“I’m in the kitchen”)
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Move around with stepper motors and Arduino control
It was equal parts practical and playful — a technical experiment wrapped in a lo-fi body.
3. How It Works
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Brain: ROS2 (Python) for navigation and logic
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Motion: Arduino (C++) driving stepper motors
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Sensors: LiDAR for mapping and localization
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Voice I/O: Text-to-speech and speech-to-text modules
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Body: Cardboard enclosure
4. Status
BOX-E functioned as intended, but we paused development while considering its next purpose. For now, it rests as a prototype — a step toward more expressive home robots.
