Welcome to Milly Mini AI

In this lesson, we’ll introduce the Milly Mini AI robot and get oriented with FreeCAD, the 3D modeling tool we’ll use throughout this course.

This lesson is about understanding the big picture — what we’re building, how the system works, and how real robotics projects move from software to physical hardware.

No modeling yet. Just exploration and setup.

What Is Milly Mini AI?

Milly Mini AI is a desktop AI agent robot designed for classrooms, desks, and labs. It acts as an interactive assistant that helps users learn, take notes, and interact with AI through natural voice conversations.

At its core, Milly Mini AI combines:

• Speech-to-text (voice input)

• Large Language Models (LLMs) for reasoning and conversation

• Text-to-speech for spoken responses

• On-screen display of chat history and information

All of this is powered by cloud-based AI services (such as OpenAI APIs).

What the Robot Can Do

• Have real-time voice conversations

• Take notes and display them on screen

• Schedule reminders and alerts

• Speak responses out loud

• Show conversation history just like a chat app

This course starts with the physical design of the robot so you understand how the software and hardware come together.

What Is FreeCAD?

FreeCAD is a free, open-source, parametric 3D modeling program used by engineers, makers, and robotics teams around the world.

We use FreeCAD because:

• It’s powerful and professional-grade

• It’s completely free

• It runs on Linux, Windows, and macOS

• It’s well-suited for parametric, editable designs

In this course, we’ll be using Linux, but the FreeCAD interface is very similar across all operating systems.

Downloading and Opening FreeCAD

To get started:

• Go to the official FreeCAD website
  👉 https://www.freecad.org

• Download the version for your operating system:

  • Linux

  • Windows

  • macOS

• Install FreeCAD and open it

Once FreeCAD launches, you’ll see the main interface with:

• Toolbars

• A 3D workspace

• Panels for models, properties, and tasks

Don’t worry if it looks overwhelming — we’ll break it down step by step.

Navigating FreeCAD (First Look)

In this lesson, we’re not creating anything yet.

Instead, we focus on:

• Opening an existing project

• Moving around the 3D view

• Understanding how models are organized

If you have the provided project file:

• Use File → Open

• Load the existing Milly Mini AI model

This lets you explore how a real robotics design is structured before building your own.

Understanding Bodies, Sketches, and Parametric Design

FreeCAD is a parametric modeling tool. That means designs are built from a sequence of editable steps, not just fixed shapes.

Some key concepts:

• Body
  A Body represents a single solid object in FreeCAD.
  Each robot part typically lives inside its own body.

• Sketch
  A Sketch is a 2D drawing that defines shapes and dimensions.
  Sketches are the foundation for creating 3D objects.

From Sketch to Solid

FreeCAD uses sketches to create solids through operations like:

• Extruding

• Padding

• Cutting

You don’t directly “draw” 3D shapes — you build them from sketches using parametric rules.

This approach makes designs:

• Editable

• Reusable

• Easy to modify later

Why We Review Existing Models First

In real robotics projects, teams rarely start from scratch.

Instead, they:

• Review existing designs

• Understand how parts fit together

• Modify and improve components over time

That’s exactly what we’re doing here.

By exploring an existing Milly Mini AI model, you’ll learn how:

• Parts are organized

• Bodies interact

• CAD files translate into real, physical robot components

What’s Next

In the next lesson, FreeCAD – Part 1, we’ll start from a blank project and begin building the robot model step by step from scratch.

Make sure FreeCAD is installed and ready before moving on.

Have fun exploring — and don’t be afraid to click around.