How to Build a ClawdBot Tamagotchi with ESP32

A lobster-bot companion with moods, needs, and personality loops

ESP32 Robotics Beginner45 minutes6 components

Updated April 15, 2026

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How to Build a ClawdBot Tamagotchi with ESP32 — For illustrative purposes only

On this page

What you'll build
Wiring diagram
Components needed
Assembly
Pin assignments
Code

What you'll build

This project guides you through creating ClawdBot, a Tamagotchi-inspired lobster companion that lives on an ESP32 with an OLED screen, three tactile buttons, and a piezo buzzer. ClawdBot has three core needs -- hunger, entertainment, and energy -- that decay over time. Press the Feed button to top up hunger with a satisfying crunch sound, the Play button to boost entertainment with a cheerful jingle, or the Sleep button to let ClawdBot recharge with a snoring animation and soft pulsing tone. Neglect any need for too long and ClawdBot's expressive OLED face shifts from happy to grumpy to downright furious, complete with claw-snapping animations and an annoyed buzz.

What makes this project a great learning experience is the care loop at its core. You will implement a time-based state machine that ticks down each need independently, transitions between mood states using threshold checks, and triggers different face animations and sound effects depending on ClawdBot's overall wellbeing score. This teaches you event-driven programming, debounced button handling, non-blocking timers with millis(), and how to manage multiple concurrent state variables -- all fundamental patterns that apply to every embedded system you will build in the future.

The finished ClawdBot is a charming desk companion that demands just enough attention to stay engaging without becoming annoying. The code is structured so you can easily add new needs like social interaction via Bluetooth proximity, introduce personality traits that make each ClawdBot unique, or add a growth system where consistent care unlocks new animations and sounds. If you enjoyed this build, the Cosmic Critter Pico project makes an excellent follow-up that explores motion-based interaction on a different platform.

Wiring diagram

React Flow

Components needed

Component	Type	Qty	Buy
SSD1306 OLED Face	display	1	€4.30
Feed Button	other	1	€8.30
Play Button	other	1	€8.30
Sleep Button	other	1	€8.30
Piezo Buzzer	actuator	1	€4.75
Status LED	actuator	1

Prices and availability are indicative and may have been updated by the supplier. Schematik may earn a commission from purchases made through affiliate links.

Assembly

Wire the OLED face display

Connect OLED VCC to 3.3V, GND to ground, SDA to GPIO21, and SCL to GPIO22.

Tips

Confirm the I2C address — most modules use 0x3C.

Add the three care buttons

Wire Feed button between GPIO32 and GND, Play button between GPIO33 and GND, and Sleep button between GPIO25 and GND. Internal pull-ups are enabled in code.

Tips

Color-code the buttons (green=feed, blue=play, purple=sleep) for easier identification.

Connect buzzer and status LED

Wire piezo buzzer signal to GPIO26 (other lead to GND). Connect status LED anode to GPIO27 through a 220 Ω resistor, cathode to GND.

Tips

The LED blinks fast when cranky, slow when sleepy, and stays solid when happy.

Upload and interact

Flash the sketch. ClawdBot starts happy — if you ignore it for 30 seconds it gets hungry, then bored, then cranky. Press the buttons to keep it happy and maintain the care score.

Tips

Adjust the idle thresholds in code to make ClawdBot needier or more independent.

Pin assignments

Pin	Connection	Type
3V3	clawdbot-oled-1 VCC	POWER
GND	clawdbot-oled-1 GND	GROUND
GPIO 21	clawdbot-oled-1 SDA	I2C
GPIO 22	clawdbot-oled-1 SCL	I2C
GND	feed-button-1 GND	GROUND
GPIO 32	feed-button-1 SIG	DIGITAL
GND	play-button-1 GND	GROUND
GPIO 33	play-button-1 SIG	DIGITAL
GND	sleep-button-1 GND	GROUND
GPIO 25	sleep-button-1 SIG	DIGITAL
GND	clawdbot-buzzer-1 GND	GROUND
GPIO 26	clawdbot-buzzer-1 SIG	PWM
GND	clawdbot-led-1 GND	GROUND
GPIO 27	clawdbot-led-1 SIG	DIGITAL

Code

Arduino C++

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#include <Wire.h>
#include <Adafruit_GFX.h>
#include <Adafruit_SSD1306.h>

#define SDA_PIN 21
#define SCL_PIN 22
#define BTN_FEED 32
#define BTN_PLAY 33
#define BTN_SLEEP 25
#define BUZZER_PIN 26
#define STATUS_LED 27

Adafruit_SSD1306 display(128, 64, &Wire, -1);

enum Mood { HAPPY, HUNGRY, SLEEPY, BORED, CRANKY };
Mood mood = HAPPY;
unsigned long lastCareMs = 0;
unsigned long lastBtnMs = 0;
int careScore = 100;

const char* moodName(Mood m) {
  switch (m) {
    case HAPPY:  return "Happy  ^_^";
    case HUNGRY: return "Hungry >_<";
    case SLEEPY: return "Sleepy -_-";
    case BORED:  return "Bored  ._.";
    case CRANKY: return "Cranky !!!";
    default:     return "Unknown";
  }
}

void playTone(int freq, int dur) {
  tone(BUZZER_PIN, freq, dur);
  delay(dur + 10);
  noTone(BUZZER_PIN);
}

void feedAction() {
  playTone(1760, 60);
  playTone(2100, 60);
  mood = HAPPY;
  careScore = min(100, careScore + 30);
  lastCareMs = millis();
}

void playAction() {
  playTone(1480, 50);
  playTone(1760, 50);
  playTone(2200, 60);
  mood = HAPPY;
  careScore = min(100, careScore + 20);
  lastCareMs = millis();
}

void sleepAction() {
  playTone(980, 90);
  playTone(780, 120);
  mood = SLEEPY;
  careScore = min(100, careScore + 15);
  lastCareMs = millis();
}

void setup() {
  Serial.begin(115200);
  delay(100);

  Wire.begin(SDA_PIN, SCL_PIN);
  display.begin(SSD1306_SWITCHCAPVCC, 0x3C);
  display.setTextSize(1);
  display.setTextColor(SSD1306_WHITE);

  pinMode(BTN_FEED, INPUT_PULLUP);
  pinMode(BTN_PLAY, INPUT_PULLUP);
  pinMode(BTN_SLEEP, INPUT_PULLUP);
  pinMode(BUZZER_PIN, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(STATUS_LED, OUTPUT);
  digitalWrite(STATUS_LED, HIGH);

  lastCareMs = millis();
  Serial.println("ClawdBot ready");
}

void loop() {
  unsigned long idleMs = millis() - lastCareMs;
  unsigned long now = millis();

  if (idleMs > 90000) { mood = CRANKY; careScore = max(0, careScore - 1); }
  else if (idleMs > 60000) mood = BORED;
  else if (idleMs > 30000) mood = HUNGRY;

  if (now - lastBtnMs > 200) {
    if (!digitalRead(BTN_FEED))  { feedAction();  lastBtnMs = now; }
    if (!digitalRead(BTN_PLAY))  { playAction();  lastBtnMs = now; }
    if (!digitalRead(BTN_SLEEP)) { sleepAction(); lastBtnMs = now; }
  }

  display.clearDisplay();
  display.setCursor(0, 0);
  display.println("  ClawdBot Tamagochi");
  display.println("--------------------");
  display.print("Mood:  ");
  display.println(moodName(mood));
  display.printf("Care:  %d%%\n", careScore);
  display.printf("Idle:  %lus\n", idleMs / 1000);
  display.println();
  display.println("Feed / Play / Sleep");
  display.display();

  if (mood == CRANKY) {
    digitalWrite(STATUS_LED, (millis() / 180) % 2);
  } else if (mood == SLEEPY) {
    digitalWrite(STATUS_LED, (millis() / 800) % 2);
  } else {
    digitalWrite(STATUS_LED, HIGH);
  }

  delay(30);
}

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