Pi 5 Tactile Exploration Robot Kit — Build a Robot That Feels Object Shapes

Every part needed, pre-tested for compatibility, with an AI build companion trained on this exact project. Shipped from Bengaluru in 3-5 days.

Imagine teaching a robot arm to explore a tabletop in pitch darkness, identifying objects purely by probing with its wrist. This kit lets you assemble a 6-DOF manipulator equipped with an ATI Mini45 force-torque sensor, then train machine learning models on Raspberry Pi 5 to classify shapes by feel. It’s a direct entry into manipulation without visual sensing—a key skill for warehouse robots, prosthetics, and autonomous inspection drones operating where cameras fail.

What You'll Build

You’ll construct a responsive robot arm that performs tactile exploration runs: it approaches an object, records force-torque data as it traces contours, and streams that data to a Python-based classifier on the Pi 5’s NVMe storage. The finished system distinguishes cubes, spheres, cylinders, and irregular shapes by their touch profiles alone, giving you a working model of embodied AI perception.

What You'll Learn

• Interfacing an ATI Mini45 force-torque sensor with Raspberry Pi 5 over Ethernet/UDP using the netft package
• Implementing compliant motion control with PCA9685 servo driver and MG996R servos for reaction-force-driven path planning
• Training a 1D convolutional neural network in PyTorch on touch-profile time-series to classify object geometries
• Logging high-frequency sensor data in real time to NVMe SSD with minimal latency using mmap-based pipelines

Kit Contents

Why Buy This Kit Instead of Sourcing Parts Separately

Who This Kit Is For

Engineering undergraduates in B.Tech ECE, EEE, or Mechanical programs will find this ideal for capstone projects on haptics or autonomous manipulation. It also suits Smart India Hackathon teams working on assistive robotics or dark-environment inspection. CBSE Class 11–12 students at ATL Tinkering Labs can use the pre‑calibrated sensor and guided AI companion to explore AI‑driven feedback control without getting stuck on hardware setup.

Built and Backed by Compoden

Every Compoden kit ships with an AI build companion trained on this exact project — accessible via a QR code on the box, with WhatsApp and email backup. We've spent 10 years building projects for makers, schools, and institutions across India. If a part fails because of a manufacturing defect, replace it free within 7 days.