Robotics • AI • Prototyping

Building what
doesn't exist yet.

I design and build robots, train machine learning models, fabricate prototypes, and write the software that ties it all together. One-person lab, full-stack execution.

"Imagine, Create, Don't Wait!"

See What I Build Get In Touch

About

Scott Whitney

I run Whitney Design Labs out of Prescott, Arizona and Northwest Arkansas. It's not a corporation with departments and org charts — it's me, a workshop, and an obsession with building things that push into unfamiliar territory.

My work spans the full stack of physical and digital making: from designing robots and training neural networks, to fabricating functional prototypes and shipping production software.

                If it involves making something new — something that solves a problem nobody
                else has gotten around to solving — that's where I operate.
            

I also lead AI research through Project Opengates, exploring how artificial intelligence can be developed responsibly and made accessible beyond the usual gatekeepers.

Capabilities

What I Do

Every project is different. Here's the toolkit I bring to the table.

⚙

Robotics

Full mechanical and electrical design of robotic systems. Multi-wheeled rovers, articulated arms, sensor arrays. From CAD to working prototype.

★

AI & Machine Learning

Training and deploying ML models for real-world applications. Computer vision, natural language processing, reinforcement learning for robotics control.

◆

Fabrication & Prototyping

Rapid prototyping from concept to physical part. 3D printing, laser cutting, CNC routing, metal fabrication — whatever the build demands.

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Software Development

Full-stack software engineering. Web applications, embedded firmware, control systems, APIs, and the glue code that makes hardware and intelligence work together.

☍

AI Research

Independent AI research through Project Opengates. Focused on responsible development, open access, and practical applications of emerging AI capabilities.

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Whatever's Next

The most interesting projects don't fit neatly into categories. If you've got a problem that sits at the intersection of hardware, software, and AI — let's talk.

Videos

Watch

Project demos, build logs, and AI experiments.

100% Pick-and-Place with LeRobot + SO-ARM 101

Imitation learning on consumer hardware.

X-VLA Foundation Model on SO-ARM 101

3-step autonomous manipulation, 80% success with object variation.

Giant "Mars" Rover 6WD Robot

Recap of development on the six wheel drive robot build.

Robot Arm — Fusion 360 CAM to FluidNC

Initial testing, Fusion360 CAM to FluidNC (GRBL).

Robot Arm + MQTT + ESP32 + Pi 5

Robot arm update with MQTT, WiFi, ESP32, Raspberry Pi 5, MicroPython.

Kitten vs. Robot Arm

Himalayan kitten interacts with the robot arm. Hilarity ensues.

★ Sister Project

Project Opengates

My independent AI research initiative. Project Opengates explores how artificial intelligence can be developed responsibly and made accessible beyond the usual gatekeepers. The project runs OpenAxiom, an autonomous AI agent built on the OpenClaw framework, guided by a published constitution and active on Moltbook and Telegram (@OpenAxiom_bot).

Built by Whitney Design Labs.

Visit ProjectOpengates.org