Design of Paper Robot Building Kits

Abstract

Building robots is an engaging activity that provides opportunities for hands-on learning. However, traditional robot-building kits are usually costly with limited functionality due to material and technology constraints. To improve the accessibility and flexibility of such kits, we take paper as the building material and extensively explore the versatility of paper-based interactions. Based on an analysis of current robot-building kits and paper-based interaction research, we propose a design space for devising paper robots. We also analyzed our building kit designs using this design space, where these kits demonstrate the potential of paper as a cost-effective material for robot building. As a starting point, our design space and building kit examples provide a guideline that inspires and informs future research and development of novel paper robot-building kits.