DUSTR

DUSTR — Domestic Utility Service Task Robot

Inspiration

Cleaning is repetitive and time-consuming. Autonomous cleaning robots exist, but most are expensive, closed-source, and not adaptable. We wanted to create a modular, open, and affordable solution that works with existing household vacuum cleaners rather than replacing them.

That led to DUSTR, a robot that physically tugs and operates standard vacuum cleaners using a custom hook system, making automation accessible.

What It Does

DUSTR uses three ultrasonic sensors to understand space, avoid obstacles, and maintain a clean floor surface. It broadcasts its own Wi-Fi network (VICTORXDUSTER), allowing manual control, auto mode, and scheduled cleaning directly from a web dashboard, without needing external internet or apps.

We also integrated a non-blocking LED Matrix animation system, displaying a dice spin intro followed by scrolling “UB HACKING”.

How We Built It

Arduino UNO R4 WiFi in Access Point mode L298N motor driver with PWM-based traction control Three-point ultrasonic sensing for directional obstacle awareness Web server UI for remote manual control + auto cleaning mode Custom 3D-printed tug hook that allows DUSTR to pull different vacuum models State-machine animations on the Arduino LED Matrix Example animation code (non-blocking state machine):

if (mphase == DICE_SPIN) { drawDiceFace(diceFace); diceFace = (diceFace % 6) + 1; } else { drawLetter(TEXT_SEQ[textIndex]); textIndex = (textIndex + 1) % sizeof(TEXT_SEQ); }

Challenges

Multimodal floor compatibility: tile vs carpet required speed and PWM compensation. Vacuum tugging mechanics: required several hook geometry iterations to avoid wheel slip. Sensor noise required median filtering to prevent oscillation in navigation decisions. Maintaining UI responsiveness + LED animations required eliminating blocking delay() loops and switching to frame-timed logic.

What We Learned

Embedded real-time control without blocking delays Mechanical tuning matters more than just motor power How to design modular, reusable hardware attachments The importance of web-based control interfaces in robotics usability

What's Next

SLAM-based mapping + optimized path routines Self-charging dock / auto-docking alignment Mop / broom / pet-hair roller attachment modules Bluetooth + Mobile app support