I was really inspired when the reprap project wanted to make self replicating things.
Ive been obsessed with making a low cost robot arm for about a decade now. Here's the latest news.
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www.youtube.com]
Where the Sixi2 was 1300 parts in 300 types, Sixi3 is 300 parts in 25 types.
By using a single actuator design I get low backlash, high power, and really affordable manufacturing. cheap, fast, strong: pick two. I chose cheap and strong.
My new goal is to make practical demos. Unlike people here, most folk need to be shown how it could be useful.
The firmware is based on Marlin, adapted with no heating or extrusion. I've got FK, IK, jacobian, inverse jacobian... I have challenges now with making it easy to drive the arm and adding new kinds of tools.
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reprap.org]
I'd love to talk to anyone that is eager to build an arm based on this design.