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What you need to know
About The Author

SunFounder PiDog

TL;DR: Save $30 on this DIY robotics kit for beginners that teaches you how to build a robot dog.

We’re all looking for new creative outlets this year, but most of us have exhausted the go-to options. If ‘reading more’ isn’t your thing but learning to program and building a robot sounds more your speed, pick up this DIY PiDog kit. Normally $179.99, you can grab one for $149.99 while supplies last.

What you need to know

Are there any required skills? Basic computer knowledge will help you out, but beyond that, the materials included by SunFounder will teach you everything else.

You’ll need your own Raspberry Pi board to get started (or you can choose another option on the sales page with one included). Then, a detailed online tutorial shows you how to code with Python, assemble the kit’s hardware, and program special commands for your PiDog.

These robotics tutorials will teach you how to make the PiDog:

Act like a dog: walk, sit, and wag its tail
Recognize your face
Hear and respond to voice commands
Detect and avoid obstacles

By the end of the project, you’ll have a pretty firm grasp of how virtual programming works with physical objects. From there, you can go on to create smart robotics projects of your own — maybe a motion-detection camera or a smart trash can.

Learn robotics from this DIY robot dog, now $149.99 (reg. $179.99) while supplies last.

StackSocial prices subject to change.