Make a Robotic Arm

Hello guys! I'm a 13 years old boy. In this instructable, I'm going to show you how to make a very cheap robotic arm using basic tools and materials.

Step 1: Tools and Materials

To be able to make it you will need the following things:

1) Arduino (I used the UNO here)

2) A breadboard (or you can solder if you want)

3) 2 Servo motor (you can use more if you want), but here I used only 2, to make it very cheap.

4) IR receiver

5) 11 wires Or more.

6) A strong cardboard.

7) Some scotch and glue.

That's all! Here are the links from eBay (free worldwide shipping):

1) Arduino Uno + USB + 7 Gilded pin

2) Breadboard

3) Tower Pro servo

4) IR receiver

5) Wires Male / Male or you can use home wires.

Step 2: Cutting Cardboard and Schema

Look at these to images, to stick cardboard to the servo, or any other thing, you can use scotch.

The servo can turn only 180 degrees, so be sure when you stick it that it can turn lie this:

it can close the hand, and open it.

Step 3: Electronics (diagram)

Here's a diagram of the electronics (don't do a mistake).

Step 4: Get the Codes of Your Remote

I recommend to you to look for the connection of the IR receiver online, because you can lose the IR receiver if you don't connect at the right way.

Before starting coding, you should download the Arduino software, here:

https://www.arduino.cc/en/Main/Software

After that connect the Arduino and download the drivers(if you didn't do it before).

And you should download the IR library. It's the file in the end of this step.

After that, uncompress it and put it in the Arduino's libraries file.

Now upload the IR_control.ino file to arduino and open serial monitor, after that take a remote control and press 4 buttons and associate each code appearing in the serial monitor to each button (I mean to write results somewhere).

Step 5: The Code of the Robotic Arm

Now download the arm.ino file and do this change:

Delete my own codes in the 4 conditions( a condition looks like this : "if(results.value == 0xFFA25D)" ), and replace my own codes with yours.

Now connect the Arduino and upload the code.

Step 6: Test It! It's Done!

Now just connect it to your computer, or to your power supply if you have a supply cable for the arduino and test it using your remote control.

Here's a demo that I made in less than 1 hour (I know it's horrible, it's worst thing that you can do). So take your time, here is it:

Step 7: Ideas to Make the Robot Better

It's really the most basic robotic arm that you can do, here are some ideas to make it better:

1-Attach it to something, like this you won't use your hands

2-Use other servos, for example another one for the second finger, and one to get the arm longer, another one to let it turn.

3- Attach it to your 4 wheels cars and program it to take thing that it finds near it using an ultrasonic sensor.

4-Use plastic to make it stronger (you can use a 3d printer)

5-There are a lot of ideas, I let you search...

I hope that you liked it, if so, please VOTE to my instructable in the "Arduino all things!" contest. Thanks a lot! And G'bye.