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Open Mobile Robotic Manipulator

A mobile 4WD robot with a 5-DOF arm on top, wirelessly controlled from a laptop with an Xbox-style controller, using inverse kinematics.

  • Wheeled
  • Open source
  • 3D printable

Suggested by Robotheca, created by @MilosRasic98 (opens in a new tab), from github.com/MilosRasic98/OpenMobileRoboticManipulator (opens in a new tab). Pinned to commit 4026ce0 (opens in a new tab).

Fork on GitHub (opens in a new tab)Download the files at this commit (.zip)
Hardware license
GPL-3.0-only (opens in a new tab)
Software license
GPL-3.0-only (opens in a new tab)
Commercial use
Allowed

Photo and 3D model

Open Mobile Robotic Manipulator, photo from its repository
Photo:@MilosRasic98 (opens in a new tab)GPL-3.0-onlysource file (opens in a new tab)

3D preview converted from github.com/MilosRasic98/OpenMobileRoboticManipulator at 4026ce0, under GPL-3.0-only. View the original files from GitHub (33.2 MB) (opens in a new tab)

Degrees of freedom
5
Power
12 V

What it can do

Written by Robotheca from the project's documents.

  • Drives a mobile 4-wheel-drive platform with brushed DC motors.
  • Carries a 5-DOF robot arm mounted on top of the platform.
  • Controlled wirelessly over WiFi from a laptop using an Xbox-style controller.
  • Moves the arm's tool center point in 3D space using inverse kinematics instead of joint-by-joint jogging.
  • Includes a host-side script to visualize arm kinematics in simulation before running on hardware.

Bill of materials

This repository has no parts list Robotheca can read yet.

Build guide

The creator's steps, each with its instructions.

  1. 1Print the 3D printed parts from the CAD files
  2. 2Assemble the T-slot aluminum subframe
  3. 3Mount the wheels with M8 axles and bearings
  4. 4Wire the NXP FRDM RW612 board, PCA9685 and L298N drivers
  5. 5Mount the 5-DOF arm on the platform
  6. 6Flash the firmware and run the Python control scripts

The guide appears here as you scroll.

Guide by @MilosRasic98 (README.md), under GPL-3.0-only.

Wiring and electronics

Notes written by Robotheca from the project's documents.

Main parts

  • NXP FRDM RW612 board as the main microcontroller with WiFi.
  • PCA9685 PWM driver module controlling the servos and motor drivers over I2C.
  • Five servo motors in the robot arm.
  • Two L298N brushed DC motor drivers, each driving two geared DC motors.
  • 12V battery (drill battery) with an emergency power switch.

Connections

  • The MCU communicates with the PCA9685 module over I2C.
  • The PCA9685 generates PWM signals for the five arm servos and the two L298N motor drivers.

Schematics, boards and diagrams