The Arduino is acheap, fun way to get into building your own electronics.
It can also be daunting to get started.
you’re able to use a laser cutter,3D printer, or even carve the parts out of wood.
The kits are relatively cheap (I got mine for about $50), so its pretty accessible.
Why a Robot Arm?
Learning any new skill is always a challenge.
Arduino can be particularly daunting because youre essentially learning how to build entire electronic devices from scratch.
Any of these skills can be hard to learn on their own.
We also know that your brain learns better when youspread out your learning over time.
Having somethingyoure excited aboutcouldnt hurt.
Building a robot arm is a long-term project that can cover all these needs at once.
Finding one that will actually teach you something is even harder.
you could build an LED circuit fairly easily, but then all you have is an LED circuit.
In the end, youll have a real, physical thing that does what you program it to do.
Not just a proof-of-concept light that turns on when you press a button.
Its expandable:If Iron Mans45 different suitstaught us anything, its that you might always improve a robot.
Just ask What else can I make this do?
They can also feel futuristic and inaccessible.
All that being said, this doesnt necessarily mean that this should be yourfirst everproject.
But if youve never touched a circuit board, its okay to take it slow.
Dont think of the robot arm as your first step.
Think of it as your final exam.
you’re able to probably skipthe Love-O-Meter project, though.
Most importantly,Google everything.
Remember, this is a long-term project.
Dont expect to start with no experience on Friday and finish with a remote-controlled, sentient robot by Sunday.
Think of this less like a step-by-step manual and more like a map.
If you get a little lost along the way, dont be afraid to stop and ask for directions.
What Youll Need
This guide will be divided into two main sections.
The first will be getting the basic robot arm built and operational.
The second will show you some optional projects that you might use to expand its capabilities.
You may also need a 470uf capacitor later on, which you might pick up at RadioShack fordirt cheap.
A meArm kit: For simplicitys sake, you’re able to buy an entire kithere.
This includes everything it’s crucial that you build the arm itself.
Optionally, you’re able to download the planshereand make them yourself.
you’ve got the option to download the official Arduino IDEhere.
These will get you started and cover the basics.
Over time, it’s possible for you to add more tools and equipment to your arsenal.
It wont do anything yet, but it will look cool.
The company behind the kit hasdetailed instructions here.
Your kit should come with a set of various plastic pieces, some screws, and four servos.
If youve ever built a piece of IKEA furniture, this shouldnt be too complicated.
Just follow the instructionsprecisely.
Many projects show you a concept while attached to a breadboard, but never move it to something real.
Here, youll learn how to attach servos to working parts on a finished project.
Youll also learn the delicate art of working with tiny moving parts.
Time Required:The construction portion here can be done in just a few hours.
However, I advise letting your work sink in for a bit.
The next step can start to get complicated, so dont rush into it.
you’ve got the option to manually move the parts of your robot armgentlyto play around with it.
Dont force it too much, though, as you could damage the servos.
Youll accomplish this with the use ofa breadboard.
Sparkfun hasan excellent guide herethat explains how to use a breadboard and what you could do with it.
Tutsplus hasa great tutorialon how to connect an LED to a power source and add a button.
Take time to assemble this and understand the circuit you just assembled.
From personal experience, this part can seem daunting.
Assembling the parts and following instructions is easy, though.
Understanding how it all works is the hard part, but it just takes time.
What Youll Learn:Breadboarding is the foundation of most hobbyist electronics prototyping.
With just those components, you’ve got the option to already make a lot of fun stuff.
Id even advise taking a week to process the lessons youve learned.
Breadboarding circuits is simple, but it can be a difficult concept to grasp.
And its not something you want to rush through, especially given how complicated the next section can get.
For that, youll need to have your Arduino IDE setup and plugged into your board.
Alternatively, you might follow Adafruitsguide to the official IDE here.
Once your environment is set up, youll also start programming the thing.
Adafruits guide hasa simple servo sketchyou can use to make your robot move.
What Youll Learn:This is the phase where it all comes together.
Youll learn a bit about how servo movement works, anda lotabout how to program an Arduino.
you might also check out theArduino reference library here.
Dont be afraid to mess up.
it’s possible for you to also experiment with some basic logic structures at this phase.
From here, you’re free to start expanding on what you have.
Play around with the software a bit and see how it responds.
Build On Your Knowledge with These Expansion Projects
Youve built a robot.
The kit isnotpre-assembled, which means it would require some soldering work.
All you need isa sensoranda remote.
The remote will send codes to your Arduino, which you might then use to trigger commands.
It is, however, really cool.
