Smaro — A Campus Companion Robot
15 Oct 2024
Bringing together robotics, 3D printing, autonomous mobility and human interaction to create a smarter campus experience.
The Brief
We were presented with an interesting and challenging requirement: to develop a campus companion robot for a reputed educational institution in Salem District, Tamil Nadu.
The vision was to create a robot that could do more than simply move around. It needed to welcome visitors, interact with them, provide campus information and help them find their way around the institution.
And so, Smaro was born.
Smaro was conceived as a friendly and approachable campus assistant, combining a custom 3D-printed body with sensors, autonomous mobility, a touchscreen interface, audio and expressive visual elements.
The project brought together product design, 3D printing, electronics, robotics, software and user experience into one functional system.
The Idea
The goal was to create a robot that could naturally become part of the campus environment.
Instead of a conventional information kiosk, Smaro was designed to be mobile, interactive and engaging.
A visitor could encounter Smaro in the lobby, receive a greeting, learn how to use the integrated tablet and access navigation information to find different blocks within the campus.
Meet Smaro → Interact → Find Your Destination → Navigate
The idea was to create a simple and intuitive visitor journey, transforming a traditional information system into a more engaging physical experience.
Designing Smaro
The project began with the design and development of Smaro's physical form.
Every part of the robot had to serve a purpose. The body needed to accommodate sensors, electronics, motors, speakers and a tablet while still maintaining a clean, friendly and approachable appearance.
Functionality
The robot needed sufficient space for the electronic, mechanical and power systems required for autonomous operation.
Interaction
The tablet, speakers and expressive eye effects needed to be positioned in a way that made interaction intuitive and comfortable for visitors.
Serviceability
The robot needed to be accessible for maintenance, repairs and future upgrades.
This meant engineering Smaro not simply as a visual concept, but as a fully buildable and serviceable product.
From Digital Model to Physical Robot
A Completely 3D-Printed Body
One of the most distinctive aspects of Smaro was its fabrication.
The entire robot body — from the head and upper body to the lower
structure and wheel-related components — was 3D printed.
Given the overall size of the robot, it wasn't practical to manufacture the body as a single piece. The complete structure was therefore carefully divided into multiple sections that could be individually printed and assembled.
However, the segmentation wasn't based only on printer size. It was also driven by an important engineering consideration:
How do we make the robot easy to service in the future?
Designing for Future Serviceability
The individual sections were designed with future dismantling and maintenance in mind.
Instead of permanently joining all the components together, the body was structured so that selected sections could be removed when access to internal components was required.
- Access internal electronics
- Service individual components
- Remove sections without dismantling the entire robot
- Replace or upgrade components in the future
- Simplify maintenance and troubleshooting
For a robotic product intended for real-world use, serviceability is an important part of the design.
We therefore considered not only how to build Smaro, but also how Smaro could be maintained throughout its lifecycle.
The Making Process
Creating the physical body involved considerably more than simply 3D printing the parts.
- 3D Modelling — Developing the robot's form and engineering the individual components.
- 3D Printing — Manufacturing the body as multiple large-scale printed sections.
- Post-Processing — Preparing and refining the printed surfaces.
- Painting — Finishing the individual parts to create a cohesive appearance.
- Mechanical Assembly — Bringing the structural and mechanical components together.
- Electronics Integration — Integrating sensors, motors, speakers, display systems and control electronics.
- Testing — Testing the complete system and refining its operation.
Once the individual parts were printed, they underwent extensive post-processing to achieve the required surface quality.
The printed surfaces were prepared, refined and finished before painting. This stage required considerable attention to detail because the final appearance of a large 3D-printed product depends heavily on the quality of its post-processing.
The objective was to transform the raw printed components into a clean, cohesive and professionally finished robotic body.
Bringing Smaro to Life
Once the physical structure was ready, the next stage was integrating the electronic and robotic systems.
The body was designed to accommodate multiple subsystems, including:
- Sensors for environmental awareness
- Motors and wheels for movement
- Speakers for audio output
- A touchscreen tablet for visitor interaction
- Expressive eye effects
- Internal electronics and control systems
- Power and wiring systems
Integrating all these components into the robot required careful planning.
The electronics had to fit within the available space while ensuring that wiring, sensors and other components remained accessible for maintenance.
The result was a balance between physical design, electronics integration and mechanical engineering.
Giving Smaro a Personality
We wanted Smaro to feel less like a machine and more like a friendly campus companion.
The expressive eye effects became an important part of the robot's identity.
Combined with movement and audio, the eyes provide Smaro with a simple visual personality and make the interaction more engaging.
If people are going to interact with a robot, the robot should feel approachable.
The visual and audio elements therefore weren't just decorative features. They were part of creating a more natural interaction between the robot and its users.
Autonomous Mobility
Smaro was designed to independently move around the designated lobby area.
Rather than being manually driven, the robot could navigate its operating environment autonomously using its sensing and mobility systems.
This allowed Smaro to function as an active presence within the lobby rather than remaining fixed in one location.
Autonomous mobility was an important part of the overall experience because the robot needed to interact with visitors in a dynamic environment.
Designed to Avoid Obstacles
A robot operating around people needs to be aware of its surroundings.
Smaro's sensing system allows it to detect obstacles in its path and respond accordingly, helping it avoid collisions while moving through the lobby.
The environment could change continuously. People could walk across the robot's path, objects could be placed in its operating area, and movement patterns around the lobby could vary throughout the day.
The objective was therefore not simply to make Smaro move, but to make it move safely and intelligently within a human environment.
Interactive Campus Navigation
At the centre of the visitor experience is Smaro's integrated touchscreen tablet.
The tablet acts as the primary interface between the visitor and the campus information system.
Smaro can guide visitors on how to use the tablet, allowing them to select the destination they are looking for.
The interface then provides internal navigation information and routes to different blocks within the campus.
Find. Understand. Navigate.
For a first-time visitor, this turns what could otherwise be a confusing campus experience into a simple digital interaction.
The Smaro Experience
The complete interaction was designed around a simple visitor journey.
-
Encounter
A visitor encounters Smaro moving around the lobby. -
Engage
Smaro greets the visitor and initiates the interaction. -
Discover
The robot introduces the visitor to its touchscreen interface. -
Select
The visitor selects the required campus block or destination. -
Navigate
The tablet displays the internal navigation path. -
Continue
Smaro continues operating autonomously within its designated environment while detecting and avoiding obstacles.
One Project. Multiple Disciplines.
Smaro brought together several areas of design, engineering and technology into one working product.
Product Design
Designing a friendly, functional and practical robotic form.
3D Modelling & Fabrication
Developing and manufacturing the complete robot body through large-scale 3D printing.
Design for Manufacturing
Breaking the robot into printable sections while maintaining structural and assembly requirements.
Design for Serviceability
Planning removable sections to allow access for maintenance and future upgrades.
Electronics Integration
Packaging sensors, motors, speakers, display hardware, wiring and control electronics within the robot.
Robotics
Enabling autonomous movement and obstacle avoidance within the designated environment.
Human-Machine Interaction
Combining audio, visual effects, movement and touchscreen interaction to create an approachable user experience.
Digital Wayfinding
Providing visitors with internal campus navigation information and routes to different blocks.
Learning Through the Build
Giving Interns Exposure to the Complete Product Lifecycle
Smaro was not only a robotics project. It was also an opportunity to give our interns hands-on exposure to the complete lifecycle of developing a real-world product.
Rather than limiting their involvement to a single stage of the project, we created opportunities for interns to understand how an idea moves from an initial concept to a functional product.
Throughout the project, our interns were able to observe, learn and contribute across different stages of development.
- Understanding the initial requirements and product concept
- 3D modelling and design development
- Preparing designs for 3D printing
- Understanding how large assemblies can be divided into practical sections
- 3D printing and fabrication
- Post-processing and surface preparation
- Painting and finishing
- Mechanical assembly
- Electronics integration and wiring
- Sensor and component integration
- Testing and troubleshooting
- Understanding autonomous movement and obstacle avoidance
- Working with the touchscreen and user interaction
- Participating in final assembly and testing
This gave our interns exposure to something that classroom learning alone cannot fully provide: the experience of developing a real product with real-world constraints.
They were able to see how decisions made during the design stage could affect fabrication, assembly, electronics integration, maintenance and ultimately the user experience.
More importantly, they got to see how different disciplines come together.
A robot isn't simply a combination of motors, sensors and software. It requires design thinking, engineering, fabrication, electronics, programming, testing and continuous problem-solving.
Our interns didn't just observe the product lifecycle. They experienced it.
Smaro became an opportunity for them to learn through participation, understand the realities of product development and gain exposure to the complete journey involved in taking an idea from a digital concept to a working physical product.
The Outcome
The final result was a fully fabricated, interactive campus companion robot designed specifically for a real-world educational environment.
Smaro was capable of:
- Moving autonomously within the designated lobby area
- Greeting and interacting with visitors
- Providing audio output
- Using expressive eye effects
- Guiding visitors on how to use the touchscreen
- Displaying campus navigation information
- Providing routes to different campus blocks
- Detecting obstacles and avoiding collisions
But the outcome went beyond the robot itself.
The project demonstrated how physical product design, digital interfaces, robotics and human interaction can come together to solve a real visitor-experience challenge.
At the same time, it created a valuable learning environment where interns could experience the complete product development lifecycle first-hand.
From 3D Model to Campus Companion
What began as a digital concept eventually became a physical robot capable of moving through its environment, responding to obstacles, communicating with people and helping visitors find their way.
Every stage of the journey contributed to the final experience:
Concept → 3D Design → Modular Engineering → 3D Printing → Post-Processing → Painting → Electronics → Assembly → Programming → Testing → Deployment
Smaro represents what is possible when design, engineering, technology and learning come together in one project.
It is more than a robot that moves.
It's a campus companion designed to interact, assist and guide.
And for the people who helped build it, it was also a journey through the complete process of turning an idea into reality.
Project Snapshot
- Project
- Smaro – Campus Companion Robot
- Industry
- Education / Institutional Technology
- Location
- Salem District, Tamil Nadu
- Application
- Visitor Assistance & Campus Wayfinding
- Fabrication
- Fully 3D-printed robot body
- Mobility
- Autonomous
- Interaction
- Touchscreen + Audio + Visual Effects
- Key Capabilities
- Navigation, Greeting, Guidance & Collision Avoidance
- Learning Component
- Hands-on intern exposure to the complete product development lifecycle
From Concept to Campus Companion.
Smaro brings together product design, 3D fabrication, robotics, electronics and human interaction to create a new kind of campus experience.
Have a Project in Mind?
Whether you are exploring robotics, 3D printing, product development, or a custom engineering solution, we would love to hear about your idea.
Have a project in mind? Reach out to us to know more.