// Archive

Face tracking robot

My first electronics project. An Arduino that points a laser at your face, built from salvaged toy motors and, at first, clothespins.

ArduinoPythoncomputer vision

This all started when I got an Arduino Uno and wanted to find something to do with it.

First I salvaged some small motors and a laser pointer from old toys. To control them, I used clothespins to open, close and reverse the circuits by hand. Then I upgraded to real servo motors and a joystick to steer them.

For the final version, I connected the Arduino to a face tracking script in Python, which moves the motors so the laser always points at the face of the person being tracked.

Photos and videos

**First version**The first iteration of the project

The first version, movingSalvaged toy motors swinging the laser around

**Clothespin controller**How clothespins switched and reversed the motors

**Joystick and servos**The upgrade with real servo motors and a joystick

Joystick and servos, in actionSteering the laser with the joystick, and a cat chasing it

**Final version**Face tracking, with the laser following the face on screen