Image credits and source versions

VerhoBot components laid out in the creator CAD package ↗ · mythings3D / VerhoBot CAD source · Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike (source declaration)
VerhoBot enclosure front from the creator CAD package ↗ · mythings3D / VerhoBot CAD source · Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike (source declaration)

CAIBI ASSESSMENT

VerhoBot

CAIBI VERDICTWORTH CONSIDERING

A compact ESP32 curtain robot built to automate an existing curtain rail without ropes or pulleys.

See what the build involves Original source ↗

Build or buy?

Compare the documented build with the purchase reference.

Build it yourself

Build estimate£30–£45CAIBI estimate · medium confidenceOne curtain robot; published parts route

Time: Not published
Difficulty: 3/5
Physical processes: 3D printer · ESP32

See build requirements →

Purchase reference

Buy price reference£99.99SwitchBot Curtain 3, 1-packRecorded 5 Sep 2026

Check the source for the exact model, availability and what is included.

Check comparison evidence →

Build estimate is lower

What the prices cover

Allowance for the published ESP32-C3, geared motor, motor driver, battery/charging hardware, printed parts and small fixings.

Includes: ESP32-C3; N20 geared motor; TB6612FNG driver; Small Li-ion battery/charging route; Printed chassis and fixings.

Not included: 3D printer ownership; Curtain/rail changes; Shipping.

Build evidence recorded 4 Sep 2026. Currency conversions are approximate.

SwitchBot Curtain 3 is a close functional comparison for automating an existing curtain. The saving is cash only and does not include printing, assembly or the risk that a particular rail needs iteration.

UK purchase/source reference ↗US purchase/source reference ↗

BUILD AT A GLANCE

Source view and main parts

Check the source ↗

**VerhoBot components laid out in the creator CAD package**mythings3D / VerhoBot CAD source · Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike (source declaration)Source and version ↗

VerhoBot · migit ↗

PHYSICAL BUILD6 key parts or groups

No.	Source specification
01	ESP32-C3 Super Mini
02	N20 geared DC motor
03	TB6612FNG motor driver
04	3.7V 300mAh Li-ion or LiPo battery in the current build
05	USB-C charging hardware
06	3D printed rail-mounted enclosure and mechanical parts

Full source specifications

ESP32-C3 Super Mini
N20 geared DC motor, with 100 RPM 6V recommended by the creator
TB6612FNG motor driver
3.7V 300mAh Li-ion or LiPo battery in the current build
USB-C charging hardware
3D printed rail-mounted enclosure and mechanical parts

TOOLS / PROCESSES2 involved

3D printer
ESP32

The real-world work

YOU STILL HAVE TOThe real-world work

Check the real curtain load, rail geometry and available clearance
Assemble the motor, battery and drive hardware
Mount the mechanism so it grips and travels reliably
Calibrate open and closed positions on the actual curtain
Prove battery life and unattended operation over repeated cycles

THE BUILD SEQUENCE

How it comes together

1Preparation

Check the curtain and rail
Confirm the rail geometry, curtain load and available clearance before printing or buying parts. The mechanism has to grip and move the real curtain reliably.
YOU
Build the electronics
Assemble the ESP32-C3, motor driver, geared motor, battery and charging hardware using the published design.
YOU

2Build and assembly

Print and assemble the mechanism
Produce the published enclosure and mechanical parts, then mount the drive system around the selected rail setup.
YOU
Flash and configure
Install the firmware, join the setup access point, configure Wi-Fi and schedules, and verify the dashboard. AI can help with firmware changes and diagnostics.
AI + YOU

3Configure and test

Calibrate on the actual curtain
Run the curtain fully open and closed and set the tracked positions in the dashboard. The current V1 position model is time based, so drift is a real installation concern.
YOU
Prove unattended operation
Watch scheduled moves, battery life and wake behaviour over several days before relying on it as an unattended home automation device.
YOU

Benchmark this project

Use the VerhoBot prompt. Compare what different models deliver, then add what happened when you tried it.

Try this benchmark

View the project prompt

CAIBI adaptation · Prompt 1.0 · Project source

Prompt for VerhoBot

CAIBI project benchmark: VerhoBot
Prompt version 1.0

Help me build VerhoBot using the existing creator project at https://github.com/migit/verhoBot. This is a CAIBI benchmark adaptation of the project build brief, not a claim about how the creator used AI.

Project context:
- A compact ESP32 curtain robot built to automate an existing curtain rail without ropes or pulleys.
- Build context: ESP32-C3 Super Mini; N20 geared DC motor, with 100 RPM 6V recommended by the creator; TB6612FNG motor driver; 3.7V 300mAh Li-ion or LiPo battery in the current build; USB-C charging hardware; 3D printed rail-mounted enclosure and mechanical parts.
- Where AI helps: Firmware changes, Scheduling logic, Home automation integration.
- Physical work: Print, Wire, Mount, Calibrate.
- Main limitation: Curtain weight, rail geometry, traction and battery life are physical variables. A successful build still depends on the installation.

Read the source first. Use its published design, files, dimensions and parts as the baseline; do not redesign it unless a missing detail requires a clearly labelled proposal. If you cannot access a source or verify a revision, say so.

Provide one practical build package:
1. Design and files: explain the source design, link the original editable files, and identify missing files or modifications.
2. Parts and fabrication: give quantities, exact variants and compatibility, plus a cutting or printing list where applicable. Preserve source dimensions; flag anything unconfirmed.
3. UK and US purchasing: direct product links, checked dates, stock, pack sizes, taxes, delivery and regional costs. Mark unverifiable details as unknown; do not invent links, prices or availability.
4. Assembly: an ordered guide covering fabrication, fitting, wiring or software as applicable, setup, checks and troubleshooting.
5. Cost and time: separate parts, fabrication, delivery, hands-on time and machine time, with assumptions and exclusions.
6. Function and ease: a test plan for the project's stated purpose, likely difficulties, required skills and any corrections or limitations.

Keep source facts, your proposals and items needing physical verification distinct. An estimate is not a measured build result. Do not claim to have built or tested hardware. Include failed attempts and omissions. If a section does not apply, say why.

Use the source as accessed during this run and record its revision or access date. The prompt is fixed; the linked source can change.

Open and copy prompt →

Benchmark results 0

No reviewed results yet for VerhoBot. Add the first result →

AI IN THIS PROJECT

Get AI help on this build

CAIBI · AI CAN HELP

AI can help with

Firmware changes
Scheduling logic
Home automation integration

CAIBI · AI CAN'T DO

You still need to

Check the real curtain load, rail geometry and available clearance
Assemble the motor, battery and drive hardware
Mount the mechanism so it grips and travels reliably
Calibrate open and closed positions on the actual curtain
Prove battery life and unattended operation over repeated cycles

Original source AI use and prompts

SOURCEThe original project does not publish an AI prompt

The prompts below are CAIBI helpers for this build. They are not presented as instructions from the creator.

CAIBI STARTING PROMPTS

Copy a prompt for this build

Each prompt tells AI to keep the original project source as the reference and to flag anything you must verify on the real build.

Ways to take it further

AFTER THE FIRST BUILD

Ways to take it further

Sunrise and sunset controlHome Assistant integrationPosition sensorsMotor current monitoringObstacle or endstop detectionAlternative battery and enclosure sizes

More routes and resources

OTHER WAYS TO GET THERE

You do not have to follow one route.

ORIGINAL BUILDFollow the creator route

Use the published files and instructions as the baseline.

OUTSOURCE A PROCESSGet specialist fabrication done

You do not necessarily need to own every capability used here: 3D printer, ESP32.

ALTERNATIVE PROJECTImageGenCam

A buildable Raspberry Pi camera designed around a Codex-assisted hardware and software workflow.

REVIEWED RESOURCES

Useful places beyond the main source

FILESVerhoBot CAD files

3D CAD files linked from the project source.

SOURCE · CAIBI · BUILDERS

What supports the verdict

SOURCEmigit

V1 source available and described as stable, with V2 still evolving

Open source ↗

CAIBIWORTH CONSIDERING

It retrofits automation to an ordinary curtain rail and keeps the hardware and firmware open to modification.

Evidence: Moderate

BUILDERSNo published reports yet

Actual time, cost, changes and outcomes appear here after submitted builds are reviewed.

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HAVE YOU MADE THIS?

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First-hand evidence improves the assessment

What we want to know

What happened when you actually tried to make it.

Did it work?
Actual time and cost
What did you change?
What was harder than the source suggested?
Would you build it again?