Joan Nadal Expands E3bot Robot to 36 Countries via UNESCO STEM Workshops

Joan Nadal, the Andorran industrial designer and son of Autocars Nadal founder, continues to expand his E3bot project, an affordable educational robot made from recycled smartphone parts and 3D-printed frames. Originally built as a learning tool for his daughter, the open-source design has now reached teachers in 36 countries over four years through UNESCO-backed workshops.

Nadal's initiative emphasizes accessibility in STEM—science, technology, engineering, and mathematics—education. Participants in week-long sessions, selected by local education ministries, receive 3D printers and electronics to build the robots, which they then use with students. Recent trips have focused on Africa, with nearly monthly travel. "The goal was to learn how to design and manufacture chassis with 3D printing, write basic AI code with electronics and programming, and assemble the robot," Nadal explained, highlighting its simplicity to draw young people into science fields. "While they play, they grasp concepts needed for future jobs in robotics or engineering."

At roughly €30 for electronics plus free recycled phones supplying cameras, screens, microphones, and speakers—often via manufacturer donations—the E3bot undercuts commercial kits priced at €300-500. Basic 3D printers cost €300-500, comparable to computers but enabling local production. "We can easily cut the price by ten for a robot as effective as those once costing €300, plus tech some models lack," Nadal noted. A WhatsApp group shares improvements, mandating community contributions under the open-source model.

The project also establishes Fablabs in host nations, outfitting them with printers and computers for broader innovation, such as soil-moisture sensors linked to phone apps for automated irrigation. "Beyond education, we aim to create local jobs," Nadal said. UNESCO handles outreach to ministries and now seeks a pilot site, like Equatorial Guinea, to train 14- to 18-year-olds and measure STEM impacts.

As Nadal promotes Andorra as an "ambassador" abroad—enabled by his 2009 Innovadors Prize—he sees untapped potential at home. "It's a good country; with will, Andorra could adapt well to AI and educational robotics," he said, suggesting its size eases rollout. He urges ethical AI adoption: "It's here to stay and everyone will use it, but people need training to wield it responsibly, while fostering human values machines can't replicate."

Meanwhile, Andorra's tech scene gains momentum with ventures like Swarm, a startup developing AI for autonomous drones. Engineer Miguel Enrile, formerly at Intel, leads the firm—selected for Andorra Business's Enlaira program and Creand support—focusing on mountain rescue, avalanche prevention, and fire response. Drones would fly independently, using image recognition for faster alerts than piloted helicopters. "In emergencies, AI delivers immediate responses without pilot dependency," Enrile said.

Swarm eyes avalanche drones operational in two years and rescue models in three, in talks with Grandvalira. Enrile praises Andorra's regulatory ease over Spain's bureaucracy, predicting it as "the cradle of AI over the next decade." Challenges include securing permits, funding, and local talent, though informatics degrees and open-source competitions—with monthly prizes up to €5,000—attract contributors. "Tools like Claude now write code ten times faster," he added, calling AI progress a "tsunami" he anticipated but not at this scale.

Nadal's vision aligns with such efforts, positioning Andorra to lead in ethical STEM and AI education globally.