Arduino BlogArduino TeamSep 10, 20261 min readintermediate

Redesigning a popular robotic arm

Summary

Arduino’s blog spotlights a community‑built robotic arm that’s been mechanically redesigned for cheaper parts, easier 3‑D printing, and better performance. The arm uses a Nano ESP32 to read potentiometer‑based puppet‑style input and drive servos via a driver board, with belt‑driven wrist and rack‑and‑pinion gripper upgrades.

Puppet‑style control maps potentiometer voltage directly to joint angles, simplifying the control loop.
Mechanical redesign focuses on 3‑D‑printable parts, belt drive for wrist, and rack‑and‑pinion for gripper to improve precision and reduce cost.
Arduino Nano ESP32 serves as the central controller, handling analog input and PWM output to servos.
All CAD files are publicly available for hobbyists to print and assemble.

Shows a practical, low‑cost approach to building a 6‑DOF robotic arm with intuitive control, useful for education, prototyping, or hobby projects where budget and accessibility matter.

5/10

robotics hardware mechanical design control arduino 3d printing

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Redesigning a popular robotic arm

Summary

Related reading

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