After needing a "third arm" to hold a camera, and being frustrated with existing products, Instructables user "wavegm" turned to the Arduino platform to get the job done - with outstanding results. Their new arm is based on the IKEA Tertial desk lamp, which has been fitted with servos for various degrees of movement controlled by the Arduino.
However this is not only a controlled robotic arm - it can also "learn" a sequence of movements that can be replayed. So for example the user can mount a camera, then move the arm to the required position - which is recorded by the Arduino and then can be played back when required. This is demonstrated in the following video:
The servos have been modified to give analogue feedback to the Arduino which enables the learning of the movement by the human. This is a fantastic project, so check out the Instructable page to learn how to make your own. And for more, we're on twitter and Google+, so follow us for news and product updates as well.
If you're interested in Arduino, servos and other things but not sure how to learn - order one of our Experimenter's Kit for Arduino:
The package includes a wide variety of parts, sensors and modules including: a servo motor, lights, buttons, switches, sound, sensors, breadboard, wires and more. Furthermore a Freetronics Eleven Arduino-compatible board is included to make this an extensive hobby experimenter, inventor and starter kit.
However we don't leave you alone to figure it all out, included is a great project and instruction booklet, plus access to a supporting web page and software examples. In other words - this is everything you need to get started for a fun range of electronics and Arduino related projects! So to get started or for more information and to order, check out the product page.
