In a column published on LinkedIn, a mechanical engineer details how an old Samsung S10 smartphone was transformed into a virtual robot body using a coding session with Astra, creating a map of an office that a humanoid representation can traverse, replay, and explore.
Reimagining an Aging Samsung S10
The project began with hardware already on hand: an aging Samsung S10. Working through a coding session with Astra, the builder established a digital environment to test mobility and mapping concepts.
Mapping Office Spaces and Humanoid Navigation
Currently, the smartphone handles the room map and verifies routes, while Astra determines the subsequent movement steps. The setup allows users to scan an office space, observe a humanoid icon move across the generated map, review past paths, and explore the saved layout as if playing a simple game.
Current Limitations in Demonstration Footage
Not every function operates successfully yet. An attempt to program the virtual robot to execute a physical pickup task failed, a limitation visible in demonstration footage shared by the author.
Integrating Raspberry Pi Zero and Salvaged Parts
The next phase of the project involves hardware integration. Plans are underway to combine a Raspberry Pi Zero, a collection of salvaged parts, electric motors, and the Samsung S10 to construct a physical vehicle capable of driving.
Shifting Workflows Through Conversational Coding
For a mechanical engineer, designing and building toward the physical world primarily through conversational coding sessions represents a striking shift in workflow. The ongoing work is documented as part of a series titled The Tech Storyteller, which highlights the builder’s process of building in public, including acknowledging components and tasks that do not work.
