Android-Robotic-Manipulator

In the robotics and mechatronics field, smart systems are required to have accurate and precise sensors in order to perceive and react to the environment around them. Many sensors have been developed that measure force, speed, pressure, magnetic field, temperature, proximity, light, sound, and more. However, technology exists that incorporates all of these sensors onto one fairly small, affordable and portable device: the smartphone. Furthermore, the smartphone contains varyingly fast processors, large touch screens for display and user input, and the ability to develop applications that can access all of these functionalities. Lately, there has been a large increase in the performance to cost ratio of MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems) accelerometers and gyroscopes, which are used in smartphones. With this increase and the growing acceptance for consumer and household robotics, it is natural to begin to think of using this extraordinary device and its sensors for robotic applications. The applications have grown beyond the household as well; industrial robots are becoming less expensive and there is more expectation for intuitive and wireless control of robots. The Android Robotic Manipulator (A.R.M.) project aims to provide an initial proof-of- concept that MEMS accelerometer and gyroscope technology can provide accurate and precise enough data to provide motion control of a robotic entity. The overall goal of A.R.M. is “to allow for wireless and intuitive real-time control of a robotic manipulator with an Android smartphone.” The robotic manipulator used for this project is a four-degree-of-freedom arm made of Robotis AX12A motors designed by CrustCrawler.