diff --git a/src/.gitignore b/src/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cbff6c3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+# Exclude all IntelliJ / JetBrains project settings everywhere
+**/.idea/
+**/.idea/**
+
+# Also ignore IntelliJ module files anywhere
+*.iml
+*.iws
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.gitignore b/src/RobotNode/.gitignore
similarity index 98%
rename from .gitignore
rename to src/RobotNode/.gitignore
index d4fb281..91b645d 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/src/RobotNode/.gitignore
@@ -38,4 +38,4 @@
 *.app
 
 # debug information files
-*.dwo
+*.dwo
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/RobotNode/CMakeLists.txt b/src/RobotNode/CMakeLists.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5f742d2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/RobotNode/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 4.1)
+project(Dixon)
+
+set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD 20)
+
+add_executable(Dixon main.cpp
+        DixonNodeState.cpp
+        DixonNodeState.h
+        DixonBrain.cpp
+        DixonBrain.h)
diff --git a/src/RobotNode/DixonBrain.cpp b/src/RobotNode/DixonBrain.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8e9ca53
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/RobotNode/DixonBrain.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+#include "DixonBrain.h"
+#include <iostream>
+#include <chrono>
+#include <thread>
+
+DixonBrain::DixonBrain()
+    : state_(DixonNodeState::instance())
+{
+    std::cout << "DixonBrain initialised\n";
+}
+
+DixonBrain::~DixonBrain()
+{
+    stop();
+    std::cout << "DixonBrain destroyed\n";
+}
+
+void DixonBrain::start()
+{
+    if (state_.isBrainRunning())
+        return;
+
+    state_.setBrainRunning(true);
+
+    loopThread_ = std::thread(&DixonBrain::runLoop, this);
+
+    std::cout << "DixonBrain started\n";
+}
+
+void DixonBrain::stop()
+{
+    if (!state_.isBrainRunning())
+        return;
+
+    state_.setBrainRunning(false);
+
+    if (loopThread_.joinable())
+        loopThread_.join();
+
+    std::cout << "DixonBrain stopped\n";
+}
+
+void DixonBrain::runLoop()
+{
+    while (state_.isBrainRunning())
+    {
+        // TODO: main control logic
+        std::this_thread::sleep_for(std::chrono::milliseconds(10));
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/RobotNode/DixonBrain.h b/src/RobotNode/DixonBrain.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d4b4099
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/RobotNode/DixonBrain.h
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+#pragma once
+#include "DixonNodeState.h"
+#include <thread>
+
+class DixonBrain
+{
+public:
+    DixonBrain();
+    ~DixonBrain();
+
+    void start();
+    void stop();
+
+private:
+    void runLoop();
+
+    DixonNodeState& state_;
+    std::thread loopThread_;
+};
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/RobotNode/DixonNodeState.cpp b/src/RobotNode/DixonNodeState.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7fe544f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/RobotNode/DixonNodeState.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+#include "DixonNodeState.h"
+
+DixonNodeState& DixonNodeState::instance()
+{
+    static DixonNodeState instance;
+    return instance;
+}
+
+void DixonNodeState::setConnected(bool value)
+{
+    std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lock(mutex_);
+    connected_ = value;
+}
+
+bool DixonNodeState::isConnected() const
+{
+    std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lock(mutex_);
+    return connected_;
+}
+
+void DixonNodeState::setBrainRunning(bool value)
+{
+    std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lock(mutex_);
+    brainRunning_ = value;
+}
+
+bool DixonNodeState::isBrainRunning() const
+{
+    std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lock(mutex_);
+    return brainRunning_;
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/RobotNode/DixonNodeState.h b/src/RobotNode/DixonNodeState.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f062aee
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/RobotNode/DixonNodeState.h
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+#pragma once
+#include <mutex>
+
+class DixonNodeState
+{
+public:
+    static DixonNodeState& instance();
+
+    void setConnected(bool value);
+    bool isConnected() const;
+
+    void setBrainRunning(bool value);
+    bool isBrainRunning() const;
+
+    DixonNodeState(const DixonNodeState&) = delete;
+    DixonNodeState& operator=(const DixonNodeState&) = delete;
+    DixonNodeState(DixonNodeState&&) = delete;
+    DixonNodeState& operator=(DixonNodeState&&) = delete;
+
+private:
+    DixonNodeState() = default;
+    ~DixonNodeState() = default;
+
+    mutable std::mutex mutex_;
+    bool connected_ = false;
+    bool brainRunning_ = false;
+};
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/RobotNode/main.cpp b/src/RobotNode/main.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..109face
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/RobotNode/main.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+#include <iostream>
+#include "DixonBrain.h"
+#include "DixonNodeState.h"
+
+int main()
+{
+    std::cout << "Starting Dixon...\n";
+
+    // Create the brain controller
+    DixonBrain brain;
+
+    // Start the brain's control loop
+    brain.start();
+
+    std::cout << "Dixon is running. Press Enter to stop...\n";
+    std::cin.get();
+
+    // Stop the brain cleanly
+    brain.stop();
+
+    std::cout << "Dixon shut down.\n";
+    return 0;
+}