{low-Cost Autonomous Mobile Robot For Preliminary Risk Monitoring In Laboratory Environments

Autonomous mobile robotics provides a practical alternative for inspection and monitoring tasks in environments where direct human presence may involve safety risks. In laboratory settings, low-cost robotic platforms can contribute to preventive safety by combining environmental sensing, structured navigation, and remote supervision. This work presents the design, implementation, and initial feasibility validation of a low-cost autonomous mobile robot for preliminary risk monitoring in laboratory environments. The prototype integrates an MQ-2 sensor for combustible gas detection, a flame sensor for fire-related event detection, infrared sensors for line-following navigation, an ultrasonic sensor for obstacle awareness, and an ESP32-CAM module for real-time visual supervision. A distributed embedded architecture was adopted in which an Arduino Uno performs low-level sensing and motion control, while an ESP32-based subsystem manages wireless communication and video transmission. Experimental tests in a controlled laboratory setting showed stable communication between processing nodes, repeatable structured-route behavior, and consistent threshold-based response under gas- and flame-related test conditions. These results support the practical viability of the prototype as a first-stage low-cost monitoring platform and as a baseline for future developments toward more autonomous laboratory inspection.