Design and Fabrication of a One-Inch Robot

Abstract

The purpose of this project is to develop a compact robotic arm that manipulates items on a small scale. The ultimate goal is to design and fabricate a system that fits within a one inch cube when stowed and can grasp millimeter-scale objects and move them around its workspace. The robot that has been developed is SHRIMP: Small High-precision Robot for Item Manipulation and Placement. SHRIMP is a cylindrical style fixed-base arm that employs stepper, DC, and servo motors for actuation and 3D printed parts for its structural components. In its stowed position, the arm occupies a volume of less than one cubic inch. SHRIMP employs an Arduino-based control system, through which a user can control the robot with an interactive smartphone interface. A functional prototype has been fabricated and has demonstrated the ability to pick up and manipulate items smaller than 1 mm in size. Overall, SHRIMP exhibits significant potential for the continued development of small-scale robotics for use in medicine, manufacturing, and a wide range of other applications.