Design and Control of a Wireless Six Degree Freedom Robotic Arm

In the rapid development of the world, robots have become involved in different aspects of human lives. A robotic arm is a type of machine that is able to manipulate its end effector in two or more axes, thus more mobile than a human arm would be. The most common restraint of a robotic arm is how it needs to be connected to the user through wires, which limits the overall capabilities of the robotic arm. Thus, the study aims to design, fabricate, and test a prototype of a robotic arm which can be controlled wirelessly through joystick module. The robotic arm controlled by a wireless joystick can change the position of its end effector within the three axes; X,Y, and Z axis. The prototype was then tested on its accuracy and on the maximum distance for safe performance when it is unobstructed and when it is obstructed by a glass window. The controller for the robotic arm was able to transmit data wirelessly through a radio frequency module while the robotic arm was able to receive the data using the same module. The robotic arm can be controlled at a maximum distance of 25ft with a glass obstruction, and 29 ft when unobstructed. The accuracy of the robotic arm is then tested wherein the researchers were operating the robotic arm. It was proven that it was accurate enough to be able to move its end effector to the desired point while being controlled remotely using a joystick controller. The ability of the robotic arm to carry load depends on the type of servo motor used in the robotic arm, however, the researchers opted to focus more on the accuracy of the robotic arm and not on the load carrying capacity.