Using Codex, a beginner built a desk cat paw that taps them when they sit too long

数字生命卡兹克 · wechat · 2026-08-04

From prompt to a desk cat-paw that whacks you for sitting too long

The author describes building a small hardware project—a cat paw that taps them when they’ve been sitting too long—almost entirely by chatting with Codex (or another agent).

They start from the product idea, then iterate on the interaction logic with the agent rather than learning every hardware detail upfront.
The agent helps generate the software, choose parts, and explain how to wire an ESP32, servo, external power supply, and common ground.
The board is flashed with Arduino CLI, then tuned through repeated agent-guided debugging until the paw can do light taps, strong taps, a “cutesy” sway, and an erratic “crazy” mode.
For the enclosure, they use a 3D printer and let Codex modify an OpenSCAD model so the cat-paw shell fits the servo and internal structure.
The author’s main point: AI doesn’t remove the need to learn, but it drastically shortens the path from “I have an idea” to “I built a real thing.”

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Using Codex, a beginner built a desk cat paw that taps them when they sit too long

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