Hi there.

I am an advance diploma student and planing to build a robotic arm as my personal student project.

Here's the idea: the arm will move following the motion of the user arm, that it, moving in 4 directions, grasp and wave as controller does. The user maybe wearing something like a glove to control the arm.

However the problem is I have no any experience in robotic. Therefore i like to ask your opinion. Will this too beyond for a newbie in robotic? and will building this robot too expensive?

 

There have been quite a few toys that were robotic arms already built, and shortly after they came out someone else would interface it to a computer.

Look for local robotic groups in your area, if you have any. You will get a lot of help there.

 

I believe it is too advanced a project for a beginner. Start small and grow at a steady pace. This project is not for beginners. Here is a good starting project. Make a device that demonstrates 6 degrees of motion (this is a step toward your robot arm.

Two motions are side to side, two more are forward and back, two more are up and down. Make a mechanical device that does all of this upon command with movement via stepper motors.

This is an excellent first project. You can add a robotic 'hand' when you get this done. It is quite complicated, but a very rewarding exercise in brain matter.

One last thing: Get this fat paperback: Robot Bonanza. (I forget the author). Excellent source of robotic know-how for the amature. Oh, one more thing, Hanck. Like Bill Marsden said, look for robotic groups in your area. There is nothing like group competition to peak your interest and hence lead you onward in knowledge and experience.

 

Most of those groups are very willing to share expertise, which helps enormously. The local version even has small machine shop tools available to members.

 

Thanks Bill Marsden and PRS,

I guess i will start with the joystick-controlled, or simply button pushing one.

Does anyone know any robotic hobbyist forum so i can seek advice there if i encounter any problem?

 

Google Robotic User Groups.

Also look up FIRST (don't remember what the acronym stands for).