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Build (or Simulate) a Simple Robot and Keep an Honest Build Log

The capstone project for Robotics — a free AI & Emerging Tech course. Pass it and you earn a certificate anyone can verify.

Start the course free Download the project workbook

The project unlocks once you complete the lessons. The workbook is free to download now so you can see exactly what is expected.

What you will submit

A link to a short video or document showing your line-follower or obstacle-avoider (real or simulated), including your plain-English IF-THEN rules, an honest test log of at least 5 runs, one fault you found and fixed, and a 150-300 word write-up.

What to do, step by step

  1. Choose one beginner robot to build: a line-follower or an obstacle-avoider. You may build it with real Arduino parts OR build it for free in Tinkercad Circuits simulation, both are fully accepted.
  2. Write your control logic FIRST in plain English as a numbered list of IF-THEN rules (e.g. 'IF distance ahead > 20 cm, THEN drive forward; ELSE stop and turn'), then turn it into your Arduino sketch.
  3. Assemble and run your robot, then test it at least 5 times and keep an HONEST test log: for each behaviour, write down what ACTUALLY happened (e.g. 'follows straight 5/5, drifts on sharp curve 2/5'), not what you wished happened.
  4. Identify at least one real fault from your honest log, make a fix (slow the motors, adjust sensor spacing, change the code), and test again, recording the before-and-after results.
  5. Record a short video OR take clear photos showing your robot (or simulation) running, and write a 150-300 word summary that includes your plain-English rules, your honest test results, the fault you found, and the fix you made.
  6. Submit a single link (video, document, or Tinkercad share link) containing your build, your honest test log, and your summary.

Files to work with

Project workbook (fill in, then submit)The whole brief, an evidence checklist, the grading rubric as a self-check and the link-sharing steps in one file. Opens in Word, Google Docs or WPS.Word · 6 KB

How it is graded

CriterionWeight
Robot works and demonstrates the sense-think-act loop (it follows a line or avoids obstacles, real or in simulation)30%
Clear plain-English IF-THEN control logic written before/alongside the code20%
Honest, specific test log showing real results across at least 5 runs (not just 'it passed')30%
At least one genuine fault identified and fixed, with before-and-after evidence20%

You need 65% overall to pass. A failed submission comes back with feedback and can be revised and resubmitted.

Before you submit: make your link public

If your work lives in Google Drive or Google Docs, open Share → General access and change “Restricted” to “Anyone with the link” (Viewer). Then paste the link into a private browser window: if it opens without sign-in, you are ready. A private link cannot be graded — it is the single most common reason a good project fails.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to finish Robotics before submitting the project?

Yes. The submission screen opens once every lesson in Robotics is marked complete. The lessons are where the methods, the Nigerian context and the worked examples the project depends on are taught.

How is the project graded?

An examiner scores each rubric criterion from 0 to 100 and weights them as shown on this page; you need 65% overall to pass. Most submissions are graded within minutes and you get written feedback on what was strong and what to improve.

Can I resubmit if I fail?

Yes. A failed project comes back with feedback; revise the weak parts and resubmit. A passed project is final — the certificate is issued and cannot be re-rolled.

What do I actually submit?

A write-up of what you did (under 5,000 characters) plus a public link to your work — a Google Drive folder, Google Doc, spreadsheet, GitHub repository or video. The link must open without sign-in; a private link cannot be graded. The free project workbook on this page walks you through all 6 steps.

Is the certificate real?

Yes. Passing this project issues a certificate with a unique verification code. Anyone — an employer, a client, a school — can open the verification page and see that the certificate is genuine and which project earned it.

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Ready to earn this certificate?

Robotics is free and self-paced. Finish the lessons, complete this project, and the certificate is yours to share.

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