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Yes—but the headline refers to a compact, older Mark II maker project, not a modern autonomous vacuum. Its 3D-printed body uses an Arduino Nano, Bluetooth control, ultrasonic sensors, drive motors, a radial blower, a debris bin, and a HEPA filter. It appears suitable as an educational robotics build, but there is no verified evidence of LiDAR mapping, room-by-room navigation, automatic docking, or commercial-level cleaning performance.
Which robotic vacuum does the headline describe?
The project is the Mark II open-source robotic vacuum covered by Hackster. It began as a student class project and was designed around a small, 3D-printable chassis measuring approximately 196 × 196 mm.
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The historical article advertised a build cost of less than $100. That was a period estimate, not a verified 2026 total. Batteries, shipping, replacement parts, printing material, tools, and unavailable components can substantially change the final cost.
How the original robot works
The Mark II combines simple mobile-robot hardware with a small vacuum system:
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- An Arduino Nano runs the control logic.
- A Bluetooth module enables smartphone or remote control.
- Ultrasonic sensors detect nearby walls and obstacles.
- Two geared motors drive the wheels.
- A radial blower creates suction.
- Dust and debris collect in an onboard bin.
- Exhaust air passes through a HEPA filter, as described by the project.
Ultrasonic sensors
↓
Arduino Nano + control logic
↓
Motor drivers ──> Drive motors
↓
Bluetooth control
Battery ──> Motors
└─> Blower
Blower ──> Dust bin ──> HEPA exhaust filter“Open source” should be understood precisely here. The claim concerns the project’s design, electronics, firmware, or build files—not the commodity motors, battery, blower, filter, or other components being open hardware themselves.
What it can—and cannot—do
| Capability | Status |
|---|---|
| Move around a floor | Yes, using two drive motors |
| Remote control | Reported through Bluetooth |
| Obstacle detection | Ultrasonic sensing |
| Reactive autonomous movement | Appears to be the intended approach |
| Room mapping | Not established |
| Room-by-room cleaning | Not established |
| Automatic return to a dock | Apparently absent |
| Object recognition | No evidence supplied |
| Commercial-equivalent pickup | Not tested or verified |
The available coverage describes obstacle and wall detection, not the localization and path planning used by modern premium robot vacuums. Ultrasonic sensors can also misread angled, soft, thin, or absorbent objects. Without a map, the robot may repeat areas, become trapped in furniture, or lose its route if moved.
There are no verified measurements for suction, runtime, noise, carpet pickup, filtration performance, or threshold crossing. It is therefore better described as a mobile vacuum mechanism and robotics learning platform than as a direct replacement for a commercial appliance.
What a builder needs
Electronics and mechanical parts
- Arduino Nano and Bluetooth module
- Ultrasonic sensors
- Two geared drive motors, wheels, and motor drivers
- Radial blower or compatible vacuum motor
- LiPo battery with a suitable charger and protection system
- HEPA filter material or a compatible replacement filter
- Wiring, connectors, switch, fasteners, and adhesives
Tools and fabrication
- 3D printer and suitable filament
- Soldering equipment and a multimeter
- Basic hand tools
- Safe enclosure for the battery, blower, wiring, and moving parts
- A smartphone or controller if the original control software remains available
The original article does not provide enough current, verified sourcing information to promise a complete 2026 shopping list. Builders should obtain the original CAD, firmware, and assembly files before buying parts, then confirm dimensions and electrical requirements against those files.
2026 update: OOMWOO is the more ambitious open-source effort
OOMWOO is a separate project from Maker’s Pet, not a new version of the Mark II. Its intended architecture combines Raspberry Pi computing, ROS 2, Nav2, Gazebo simulation, 2D LiDAR, Arduino or ESP32 control hardware, Home Assistant integration, and local-first operation without mandatory cloud services.
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- Ultra-Slim Design, Smart Sensors: The robot cleaner is 2.99 inches in height, it easily reaches under beds, sofas, and cabinets for thorough cleaning. With anti-collision and anti-fall sensor technology, it intelligently navigates around obstacles, walls, and stairs
The current OOMWOO One ROS 2 package documents ROS 2 Jazzy, Gazebo, URDF, Nav2, SLAM, and 2D LiDAR. Its robot description is approximately 349 mm in diameter and 95 mm high, with a wheelbase of about 0.233 m. Those dimensions are part of an evolving model, not a guarantee of final production hardware.
As of August 18, 2026, OOMWOO remained under development. Its complete hardware design, firmware, final build instructions, and fully printable files were not yet complete; the project README targeted early build instructions for Fall 2026. Its work-in-progress budget target is approximately $200 in sourced parts plus a Raspberry Pi 5, not a final tested total.
What you can do today
1. Build the original Mark II
This is the best route for a relatively small educational project involving 3D printing, Arduino wiring, motors, sensors, and simple reactive navigation. Expect remote control and basic obstacle avoidance—not reliable mapping or automatic charging.
2. Run OOMWOO in simulation
The OOMWOO website describes a Gazebo environment that can be driven without owning the physical vacuum. The OOMWOO One repository documents commands such as:
ros2 launch oomwoo_gazebo world.launch.py
ros2 launch oomwoo_bringup navigation.launch.py use_sim_time:=true slam:=True
ros2 run kaiaai_teleop teleop_keyboardUse the current project installation instructions and verify package names before running them, because ROS 2 dependencies and launch files can change. Simulation demonstrates software behavior; it does not validate suction, brushes, battery runtime, floor performance, or physical safety.
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3. Use an existing vacuum as a ROS 2 platform
OOMWOO documents the Proscenic M6 Pro as a temporary physical platform for testing its ROS 2 stack before the open chassis is finished. This is a software-development and reverse-engineering route, not a from-scratch open hardware build. Compatibility, hardware revisions, and bridge support should be confirmed before purchase.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Cost reality
| Option | What the price means |
|---|---|
| Mark II | Historical “under $100” estimate from the Hackster article; not a current verified total |
| OOMWOO | Work-in-progress target of about $200 in sourced parts plus a Raspberry Pi 5 |
| Simulation | Software route that avoids buying the physical vacuum |
| Commercial vacuum | Higher purchase cost, but includes mature mechanics, charging, safety systems, and support |
Do not compare these options by price alone. The Mark II optimizes for simplicity and education. OOMWOO optimizes for openness, local control, and ROS 2 experimentation. A commercial robot optimizes for reliable cleaning, docking, scheduling, safety, and convenience.
Safety and reliability checklist
- Use a suitable LiPo charger, protection system, enclosure, wiring, and low-voltage cutoff.
- Confirm that the blower and motor drivers can handle their actual current draw.
- Provide an accessible emergency stop during testing.
- Keep rotating brushes, wheels, and belts guarded against fingers, hair, and cables.
- Test drive motors and sensors before enabling the blower or brushes.
- Monitor battery voltage, motor stalls, blower temperature, and blocked filters.
- Add cliff detection before operating near stairs or drops.
- Expect wheel slip, clogged filters, hair jams, warped prints, and difficulty crossing thresholds.
The VacuumTiger safety guidance similarly emphasizes controlled testing, emergency-stop access, and battery-voltage monitoring. These precautions are especially important because a DIY vacuum combines high-current batteries, moving parts, suction, heat, and dust.
Which path is right for you?
- Choose the Mark II if you want a compact Arduino and 3D-printing project and can accept reactive navigation.
- Choose OOMWOO if you want ROS 2, mapping, Nav2, Home Assistant, and local control—and can tolerate an unfinished project.
- Choose simulation if you want to learn the OOMWOO software stack without buying hardware.
- Consider Valetudo if you already own a compatible commercial vacuum and mainly want cloud-free local control. Valetudo provides app-level local control, not a complete open hardware platform.
- Buy a commercial vacuum if reliable cleaning, automatic docking, carpet performance, pet-hair handling, warranty support, and immediate usability matter most.
Verdict
The original Mark II project is genuinely buildable in the maker-project sense: it is a compact, 3D-printed robot with Arduino control, ultrasonic obstacle sensing, and a basic blower-and-filter cleaning system. But the “under $100” figure is historical, and the robot should not be represented as a modern Roomba alternative.
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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →For an educational build, the Mark II remains the simpler choice. For open robotics development in 2026, OOMWOO is the more capable direction, with ROS 2, LiDAR, Nav2, simulation, and Home Assistant integration. It is still an evolving platform rather than a finished appliance. If the goal is dependable floor cleaning today, a commercial vacuum remains the practical answer.
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