RAVEN

Robotic Assistant for Versatile Everyday Needs

The open-source home assistant robot that started with lost glasses and evolved into something bigger.

RAVEN passing a drink

Discover the Story Join Community
Scroll

Hi, I'm Surabhi

Surabhi G.
"I keep losing my glasses. Like, constantly."
Suabhi with RAVEN and her glasses

It started simple. I just wanted a robot to find my glasses. Now it's growing into a mobile assistant that helps with everyday tasks — a companion robot that's open, hackable, and built to evolve.

I'm an engineering undergrad who just wrapped up my third year. I've been obsessed with robot arms for a while now.

I built my first one during Buildspace Nights & Weekends S5, which got me a $5K grant. That kicked off a string of projects, internships, and robots.

This past month, I've been part of the Localhost Fellowship, building Raven during 28 days of beautiful chaos.

THE JOURNEY

Buildspace S5 First robot arm + $5K grant
Multiple Projects Internships & experiments
Localhost Fellowship 28 days of Raven
Now Open sourcing everything

FOLLOW THE JOURNEY

@this_is_surabhi SurabhiGupta17

What is RAVEN?

RAVEN stirring chai

ROBOTIC ARM

5-DOF robot arm with two-finger claw gripper for precise manipulation

MOBILE BASE

Four-wheeled chassis that can navigate around your space

Future Capabilities

Find objects
Fetch drinks
Conversation
Monitoring
Fall detection
Organization
Kitchen help
Companionship

The Evolution

My 28-day journey, from concept to the creation of RAVEN!

DAY 1

DAY 2

DAY 3

DAY 4

DAY 5

DAY 6

DAY 7

DAY 8

DAY 9

DAY 10

DAY 11

DAY 12

DAY 13

DAY 14

DAY 15

DAY 16

DAY 17

DAY 18

DAY 19

DAY 20

DAY 21

DAY 22

DAY 23

DAY 24

DAY 25

DAY 26

DAY 27

DAY 28

Development Phases

LEVEL 0

CURRENT VERSION

Fully teleoperated. Control via keyboard and leader robot arm. No autonomy, no vision - just a solid working base.

LEVEL 1

BASIC AUTONOMY

LiDAR mapping, SLAM navigation, inverse kinematics, and basic presets like "grab" or "place."

LEVEL 2

INTELLIGENT ROUTINES

Computer vision, object recognition, voice control, and memory for complex tasks.

Technical Specs

CORE

BrainRaspberry Pi 5
ControllerArduino Uno
Motor DriverCytron Motor Driver
Power12V Rechargeable Battery
SensorsUltrasonic Sensors
PerceptionCamera

MECHANICAL

Arm DOF5 Degrees of Freedom
GripperTwo-finger Claw
Mobility4-Wheel Chassis
Body MaterialPowder-coated Aluminium
MotorsSTS3215 Servo Motors
ConnectionWired (Wireless coming)

SOFTWARE

CONTROL

  • LeRobot Python SDK
  • ROS 2 Navigation
  • Keyboard Teleoperation

UPCOMING

  • SLAM Mapping
  • Nav2 Autonomy
  • Inverse Kinematics

FUTURE

  • Computer Vision
  • Voice Control
  • Memory System

FAQs

Is Raven actually open source?

Absolutely! All hardware designs, software code, and build instructions will be available on GitHub. The goal is to create a community-driven platform for home robotics.

How much does it cost to build one?

The current BOM is around ₹20,000-40,000 (approximately $250-500 USD). We're working on a dev kit that we'll keep you updated about.

Can it actually find my glasses?

Not yet! The current Level 0 version is teleoperated only. Computer vision and object recognition are planned for Level 2.

When will the dev kit be available?

We're working on getting to Level 2 before we work on the dev kit. Join our Discord to get updates on availability!

Can I contribute to the project?

Yes! Whether you're into hardware, software, or just have ideas, there's room for contribution. Follow the GitHub repository and join our Discord community.

What programming experience do I need?

Basic Python knowledge is helpful for customization. The system uses ROS 2 and the LeRobot SDK, but we're working on making it accessible to non-programmers.

Get in Touch

Email Surabhi Join Discord