Hi everyone!

Every robot has to start somewhere. For Bezalel—or “Bez,” as we call him—that beginning was a custom display head, designed in Fusion 360, 3D printed, and freshly painted blue.

Outside of my test engineering work at HP, I started this personal robotics project to explore Raspberry Pi, Python programming, machine vision, servo control, and mechanical design. There is plenty to learn, but that is part of the fun: take one small step, figure something out, and build on it.

The accompanying picture is our first stage. More components would soon be going inside, but even this first piece made the idea feel real. A robot that had existed in my imagination was beginning to take shape on the workbench!

This is the first installment of our build story, originally shared on LinkedIn. We’re bringing that story here to Hackaday.io to share the progress, experiments, and lessons along the way.

Welcome to the adventure!

Bob Fike and Team

Personal Note:

Bez and Wink, Fike Custom Equipment, and all associated activities are personal family projects and are not affiliated with or endorsed by HP, Poly, or any other organization.

A heartfelt thank you to my wonderful wife and business partner, Kathi KE6VTY, my Mom June, family, friends, fellow amateur radio operators, volunteers, and all those who continue to encourage these adventures.

Every project, conversation, and public appearance is another reminder that the true value of technology is not the hardware itself, but the connections, friendships, learning experiences, and opportunities to serve others that it creates.

#AmateurRadio #STEM #Robotics #AugmentedIntelligence #Community #PublicService #FikeCustomEquipment #BezAndWink #LifelongLearning #Maker #3DPrinting #Electronics