A chess set with 32 independent robots: one prototype works, 31 still to be built

Andrew DeGonge, creator of the YouTube channel 3DprintedLife, has created the MiniBots: 3D-printed chess pieces that are not moved by an external robotic arm, but move autonomously on the chessboard like independent robots, each with its own onboard electronics.

Each MiniBot is built around a custom PCB with ESP32-C3 module, two miniature PMO8-2 stepper motors, and a 170 mAh LiPo battery. Communication with the central hub occurs via ESP-NOW, Espressif's peer-to-peer wireless protocol: each piece has a dedicated channel, allowing it to receive movement commands without interference from the other robots in the set.

The central hub combines an ESP32-C3 for wireless management and a Raspberry Pi for logical processing, with software in Python. The localization of each piece on the chessboard is solved through triangulation: electromagnets embedded in the board generate a field that is detected by the magnetometric sensors of each MiniBot, which transmits position data to the hub. A technical description of the overall architecture is available on Hackster.io.

Working prototype, firmware to refine

As of mid-June 2026, a basic prototype works, but the path to a complete set is still long. The ESP32-C3 is a single-core microcontroller: this limitation has created issues with the firmware that will require changes in later versions. Energy saving and battery management remain open issues, currently impractical on a scale of 32 pieces. At the moment, there is one working piece; 31 are still missing.

The project is open hardware and open source, unlike commercial solutions like Chessnut Move, which adopts a similar approach with proprietary hardware. The generic design of the MiniBots makes them potentially adaptable to applications beyond chess, anywhere a swarm of small independent mobile robots is needed.