If you want an easy project to complete in a day or so, or something to introduce kids to the world of robots and electronics, make this light-following robot your weekend project.

Explore the making of an easy DC motor robot with this step-by-step guide! Perfect for beginners, this project uses basic materials to create a functional mini robot.

While hobby robots might use cheap servos or brushed motors, for any more advanced balancing robot you might want to reach for a brushless DC motor and a new fully open-source controller.

One such component is a small motorized wheel assembly commonly shown when searching for “robot wheel”: a small DC motor mounted in a gearbox to drive a single plastic wheel (inevitably yellow ...