Tn-24 V2.0 (cute Desktop Companion Robot)

What happens when you combine curiosity, creativity, and a love for cute robotics? You get TN-24 V2.0 — a small, expressive desktop companion that responds to your interactions, shows emotions on its OLED face, and now features a slick 3D-printed body that adds a professional finish to its charming personality.

V2 is here — sleeker, smarter, and a lot more fun to be around.

The original TN-24 was born from humble beginnings — a weekend project crafted out of recycled cardboard to keep things eco-friendly and accessible for makers of all levels. It was a hit: simple, interactive, and full of charm.

With TN-24 V2.0, I wanted to take everything that made the first version great and make it more robust, customizable, and better suited for long-term use.

TN-24 V2.0 isn't just a robot — it's a little personality on your desk. Here's what’s new and improved:

• 3D-Printed Casing: Durable, clean, and far more customizable.
• Cute Web Interface: Control your robot via browser with mood-based actions.
• Emotion System: TN-24 reacts with happiness, tiredness, or excitement based on how you interact.
• OLED Expressions: Displays animated faces that shift with mood or environment.
• Ambient Behavior: It wiggles when ignored, blinks curiously at you, or even plays animations on special occasions.

TN-24 is evolving into a smarter, more emotionally aware desktop companion with features like mood-based interactions, playful attention-seeking behaviors, wellness reminders, simple games, personalized greetings, and even music responsiveness—making it not just a robot, but a charming assistant that brings joy, connection, and utility to your everyday workspace.

Building TN-24 V2.0 was an exciting journey of combining smart electronics, creative design, and a love for cute robotics. Here's an in-depth look at the core components and tools I used, how I brought the robot to life, and what's next for this little companion.

Electronics & Core Hardware

At the heart of TN-24 is the Xiao ESP32S3, a powerful and compact microcontroller that manages everything from servo movements to WiFi communication. It’s perfect for small form-factor robotics like this one, especially with its built-in USB-C, camera interface, and wireless connectivity.

Here’s what’s under the hood:

• Xiao ESP32S3 – The main brain of the robot. Small but mighty.
• 4x DFRobot Micro Servo Motors – These handle leg movements to create an expressive, animated walk.
• MPU6050 Motion Sensor – Gives the robot the ability to detect orientation and movement, making interactions more dynamic.
• 0.96" OLED Display – Used to show a wide range of animated eyes and emotions, giving TN-24 a personality.
• 3.7V Lithium-ion Battery – Keeps TN-24 powered while staying compact and rechargeable.

Schematics and Wiring

I developed TN-24 in the Arduino IDE, thanks to its simplicity and robust library ecosystem. Here are the key libraries I used:

#include <Wire.h> // For I2C communication
#include <Adafruit_GFX.h>
#include <Adafruit_SSD1306.h> // For the OLED display
#include <Servo.h> // Controls the servos

To bring TN-24's eyes to life, I created a series of animations displayed on the OLED. Here's a snippet showing how to get started with it:

Adafruit_SSD1306 display(128, 64, &Wire, -1);
void setup() {
if (!display.begin(SSD1306_SWITCHCAPVCC, 0x3C)) {
Serial.println(F("SSD1306 allocation failed"));
while (true);
}
display.clearDisplay();
display.setTextSize(2);
display.setTextColor(WHITE);
display.setCursor(0,0);
display.print("Hello!");
display.display();
}

The robot also hosts a web interface served from the ESP32’s WiFi, letting users control and interact with TN-24 in real-time using a friendly dashboard built with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

You can find the full code on the Projects GitHub Repository.

Designing the Enclosure

For TN-24 V2.0, I wanted a polished, professional-looking design—so I moved away from the recycled cardboard of V1 and dove into 3D modeling using Fusion 360.

The process involved:

• Designing a compact and modular shell that can house all electronics snugly
• Creating cutouts for the OLED display, servo wires, and switches
• Ensuring the structure was lightweight enough not to strain the servos

3D Printing the Case

To bring the design to life, I needed to 3D print the casing, but I don't own a 3D printer so I turned to JUSTWAY, who generously 3D-printed the casing for me. Their print quality is excellent, and I highly recommend checking them out if you're looking for high-quality, reliable prints. You can visit their website here: JUSTWAY. Ordering is simple you just upload your 3D files choose the material, color and finish you want.

Next Steps: Custom PCB

While the current version works great on a breadboard and with jumper wires, I’m now in the process of designing a custom PCB to make assembly faster and neater for future builds. This is especially important as I prepare to scale TN-24 into a commercial product.

Why TN-24 V2.0 Matters

This robot isn’t just fun — it’s educational and emotionally engaging. It’s:

Beginner-friendly — Easy to build, even for new makers.

Customizable — Reprogram it, redesign the case, add your own features.

Eco-conscious — Originally made with cardboard, and still low-waste.

TN-24 V2.0 is more than just a walking bot, it's a digital companion that reflects your creativity, and hopefully brings a smile to your face every time you see it.

Whether you build it with cardboard or 3D-print a body like I did, it’s a project that grows with you.

TN-24 started as a personal project, but the love it's received has inspired something bigger.

The next step? Commercializing TN-24 — turning this cute, customizable companion into something anyone can have on their desk.

Imagine a world where TN-24 is your daily mood booster, your child’s first step into robotics, or even a tiny digital friend that helps you focus, smile, and stay curious.

If you believe in that vision, whether you're a designer, investor, educator, or just someone who wants one of these bots on your desk — I'd love your support to help make TN-24 a reality for everyone.

Let’s build a future where robotics is not just functional… but friendly, fun, and full of heart.

Let's give the world a taste of TN-24. 💛

I would like to hear what you guys think about TN-24, leave a comment, suggestion or a recommendation below. Don't forget to give it a thumbs up

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