ZoomieBox – Moving Bin Game

An interactive IoT robotics project that turns a motorized bin into a “moving target” game. Built with a Raspberry Pi + ESP32 system controlling mecanum wheels, RFID player login, break-beam scoring, sensors, and a web dashboard for real-time game control and highlights.

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Overview

ZoomieBox is a Raspberry Pi + ESP32 powered “moving bin” game. Players scan RFID cards to join, start a match from a web dashboard, and score points using a break-beam laser detector system. The robot moves using mecanum wheels, tracks orientation using an IMU, and provides feedback through an LCD score display, speaker/buzzer, and a servo-driven “Game Over” flag.

Key Features

RFID player system (scan cards to add Player 1 / Player 2, VS mode options)
Break-beam scoring using laser transmitters + detectors mounted on bin rim
Mecanum wheel drive for smooth omni-directional motion
IMU orientation tracking (yaw reset + stability support)
Ultrasonic distance sensing for obstacle awareness / edge behavior (as designed)
LCD score display + game updates
Speaker/buzzer alerts for events and game feedback
Servo “Game Over” flag that raises/lowers automatically
Pi dashboard for live control, settings, and highlights

Hardware

Raspberry Pi (main compute + dashboard)
ESP32-WROOM (motor/sensor control + game I/O)
4× Mecanum wheels + DC motors + motor drivers
RFID reader + cards
Laser transmitters + laser detectors (break-beam scoring)
IMU (orientation/yaw)
Ultrasonic sensor
LCD display
Servo motor (game over flag)
Battery pack + power distribution

ZoomieBox front view — ZoomieBox assembled prototype (front view).

Software

ESP32 firmware (motor control, sensors, scoring events)
Raspberry Pi app (dashboard + game logic + logging)
Web dashboard UI for players / VS settings / start-stop
Highlight logging (events + timestamps)

Pi web dashboard — Dashboard for RFID players, VS settings, and game control.

Mechanical Design

The enclosure and mounts were modeled in Fusion 360 and designed for modular assembly: dedicated mounts for the Raspberry Pi, ultrasonic sensor, camera + laser modules, and a front display bracket. Components are placed to keep wiring clean and to protect sensors inside the bin.

ZoomieBox mechanical CAD design — Fusion 360 CAD model of the ZoomieBox structure and component mounts.

Electronics & PCB

A custom PCB was built to mount the ESP32 and provide clean connections for sensors and outputs. This helped reduce loose wiring and made the build more reliable for repeated testing.

Custom ESP32 PCB design — Custom PCB designed to mount the ESP32 and organize sensor connections.

3D Design & CAD Development

All structural components of the system were designed in Autodesk Fusion 360. Custom mounts were created for the Raspberry Pi, sensors, motors, and the laser-based scoring system. The modular design allows easy assembly, maintenance, and component replacement.