PhoneBot

Researchers have developed PhoneBot, a low-cost open-source humanoid robot that uses an old Android smartphone as its brain and sensor unit. The phone handles control and sensing, keeping the price down by recycling everyday hardware instead of dedicated components. The open-source approach has drawn attention for making humanoid robotics accessible to hobbyists and labs on small budgets.

PhoneBot is a robotics project that repurposes discarded smartphones as the brain and sensor package of a small two-legged walking robot. By mounting an old phone onto a printed chassis with simple actuators, the device gains a camera, processor and connectivity without extra cost, offering a second life for e-waste and an affordable platform for hobbyists and researchers exploring bipedal robotics.