Mechatronic Design and Control of a 3D Printed Low Cost Robotic Upper Limb

Robots and robotic technologies are changing how society functions. Found throughout industry, education, and more recently consumers homes, robotic devices perform and assist with large varieties of tasks. Robotic limbs allow users to regain or enhance their abilities, notably when completing challenging tasks, ultimately leading to greater productivity with less stain on the user. However, robotic limbs tend to be very costly, a factor that limits the availability of current robotic limbs. In this paper, we have developed an inexpensive 3D printed, 4-degrees of freedom, robotic upper limb. An Arduino microcontroller, electromechanical actuators and additional electronics were integrated to and assembled in to the 3D printed chassis, forming a functional contained system. The assembled robotic upper limb, with potential for use as a supernumerary robotic limb or transhumeral prosthesis for both disabled and non disabled person to use, was then generally tested for appropriate function. Discussion of how this design can be improved leads to the conclusion that 3D printing and inexpensive components certainly pose potential for use in affordable robotic limbs, with the prototype limb being proclaimed a successful foundation.