What is a mBot Robot: Components and Functioning Explained

Finding a robotic kit today is easy. You will get a lot of options at different prices, configurations, and features. Picking the right one is tricky but learning about the best options will help you to make the right pick. We are going to talk about the popular Makeblock mBot in this blog post. Let us give you a better and clearer idea about what is a mBot robot and its capabilities.

Curious to learn about mBot Robot - Guruface Blog

Table of Contents

  1. INTRODUCTION T0 MAKEBLOCK MBOT
  2. WHAT’S INSIDE THE MBOT ROBOT KIT
  3. MAIN COMPONENTS OF MBOT
  4. STEPS TO BUILD A ROBOT

INTRODUCTION T0 MAKEBLOCK MBOT

mBot is an educational robot that encourages you to use your imagination by exploring various tasks while integrating mBot with drag-and-drop programming.

mBot is primarily an educational toy for kids, it is a member of the Makeblock line of exquisitely crafted robotics kits and accessories for enthusiasts. One will be able to progress to other robotics items in the Makeblock series and construct projects like a 3D printer, draw bot, a robot arm, or a robot of their very own!

mBot Robot - Guruface blog

mBot kits use mBlock, a programming language based on scratch, which enables users to easily control the movements of their robots through the use of programming software composed of pre-loaded, drag-and-drop graphical blocks.

Programming the mBot is simple and does not require text-based complicated code. If you are interested in knowing more interesting robot facts, you can check our blog ‘10 interesting facts about robots‘.

2. WHAT’S INSIDE THE MBOT ROBOT KIT?

Makeblock mBot inside components - Guruface blog

3. MAIN COMPONENTS OF MBOT

Motors:

Like how muscles help us to move, mBot comes with components that enable it to move. The basic component required is the motor. The motor is the device that allows physical movement. The motor used in Makeblock mBot is the DC motor.

mbot blog - Guruface

Ultrasonic Sensor:

Humans use their eyes to see objects and know the distance of objects (like it’s near or far). Likewise, mBot uses an ultrasonic sensor to see objects/find the distance of an object. The ultrasonic sensor is a device that measures the distance of an object or obstacle using sound waves.

mbot Guruface blog

Line-Follower Sensor:

The Line-follower sensor detects the colors such as black and white and moves accordingly. The line follower sensor works on the principle of absorption and reflection of light.

line follower sensor - mbot Guruface blog

Control System (Mainboard/Motherboard):

Like how the human body has a brain, the brain of the mBot robot is the mainboard/motherboard.

The brain of mbot - Guruface blog

Bluetooth:

The bluetooth device helps us in exchanging information over a short distance. The purpose of using the Bluetooth module in the mBot is to facilitate communication with the android/iOS phone.

mbot Guruface blog - Bluetooth

4. STEPS TO BUILD A SIMPLE BOT

Three steps to building a simple bot.

  • Assembly
  • Write a program
  • Test.
mbot Guruface blog - Steps to build a mbot

Do you want your child to be introduced to this wonderful platform but unsure where to begin?

This is for you then. Here, at Guruface academy we’ll provide you with complete guidance in learning mBot and take you through various stages. If you have a good Mentor and Resource, learning is a quick and enjoyable experience.

Don’t worry if you’ve never programmed before. With Makeblock mBot’s play and programming apps, you’ll quickly develop your programming and driving skills. You can also discover more amazing robotics and electronics courses on the Guruface Academy Learning Platform. Take a look and see what more you can learn. Have a great rest of the day!

Robotics Webinar - Guruface Blog

Marini is the Senior Robotics Trainer at Guruface Academy. She holds a Master's Degree (MS) in Electronics and is an experienced Instructor with a demonstrated history of Training students across the Globe in Various Robotics platforms. Marini is also a Professional Stem Educator with sound knowledge of Electronics, Coding, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, etc.