Design & Development of Delivery & Greeting Robot for College Campus

Abstract

Autonomous service robots are becoming increasingly useful in smart campuses and modern institutions. This project presents the design and implementation of a GPS-based delivery and greeting robot capable of operating in both automatic and manual modes. The robot is controlled using an ESP32 microcontroller and powered by an inbuilt rechargeable battery with a charging circuit. A GPS module is used for navigation within the campus environment. Ultrasonic sensors help the robot detect and avoid obstacles during movement, ensuring safe navigation. An IR sensor is used to detect the presence of delivery items inside the robot’s storage compartment. The robot uses an L298 motor driver and gear motors for movement control, while an I2C LCD display provides system status and greeting messages for users. In automatic mode, the robot navigates to predefined locations for delivery, while in manual mode it can be controlled remotely. This system improves automation, reduces human effort, and enhances smart campus services.

Introduction

The project “Design and Development of a Delivery and Greeting Robot for College Campus” describes an ESP32-based autonomous robot designed to handle campus deliveries efficiently while also interacting as a greeting system.

The robot uses a GPS module for navigation to predefined campus locations and supports both automatic and manual modes for flexible control. It is equipped with ultrasonic sensors for obstacle detection and avoidance, and an IR sensor to confirm package presence for secure delivery handling. Movement is controlled through gear motors using an L298 motor driver, and the system is powered by a rechargeable battery for continuous operation.

The system is developed using Arduino IDE (Embedded C), where the ESP32 processes sensor data, manages navigation, and controls motor functions. Testing was conducted in campus-like conditions to evaluate navigation accuracy, obstacle avoidance, and package detection, showing reliable performance and smooth coordination between hardware and software.

Results indicate strong efficiency improvements, with delivery time reduced from about 115 seconds (traditional methods) to 40 seconds in the proposed system—around a 65% improvement. The robot also demonstrated quick obstacle response (2–3 seconds) and reliable package detection (1 second).

Conclusion

The “Design and Development of a Delivery and Greeting Robot for College Campus” project successfully demonstrates the implementation of an intelligent and autonomous system for campus delivery applications. The robot effectively integrates GPS navigation, sensor-based obstacle avoidance, and dual-mode operation to perform delivery tasks with minimal human intervention. The use of the ESP32 microcontroller ensures efficient control and coordination of all system components, resulting in smooth and reliable performance.

References

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Copyright

Copyright © 2026 Dr. V. Nanammal , Sancia Rosary A, Sarshini E, Yamini J. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.