System goal
The arm was built as a full mechatronics exercise: create the mechanical geometry, determine actuator requirements, wire the electronics, and then write the software needed to command and calibrate each joint.
Mechanical engineering
The design work included custom Onshape CAD, a six-degree-of-freedom joint layout, torque calculations, servo selection, clearances, mounting geometry, and iterative prototyping. That mechanical work informed the electrical and control requirements instead of being designed separately.
Next iteration
For Version 2.0, I plan to add a custom PCB for the servo control and power distribution, as well as a more robust mechanical design with better cable management and improved joint strength. After this, I will explore adding sensors for feedback control and possibly integrating computer vision for autonomous operation through the Raspberry Pi 5 camera and machine learning.
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