Build a Robot Arm
Build a robot arm from scratch, progressing from cardboard prototypes to 3D-printed designs with AI-powered control using LeRobot.
Project Evolution (7 Episodes)
Episode 1: Basic Servo Control
- Connect 9g servo motors and potentiometers to Arduino
- Build first prototypes with cardboard and LEGO
- Simple real-time control through potentiometers
Episode 2: Saved Positions
- Add buttons for pre-configured positions
- Improve arm structure with better materials
- Implement position memory and recall
Episode 3: 3D Printing & MicroPython
- Switch to 3D-printed arm structure
- Upgrade to Raspberry Pi Pico for MicroPython support
- Add battery power with proper voltage regulation
Episode 4: AI-Generated Movement
- Use GitHub Copilot to generate complex movement sequences
- Explore programmatic control patterns
Episode 5: LeRobot SO101 Upgrade
- Upgrade to LeRobot SO101 3D-printed arms
- Switch to Feetech motors (professional-grade)
- Implement teleoperation and calibration
Episode 6: Logging & Visualization
- Refactor code into production-quality Python
- Implement movement logging to JSON
- Visualize movements with Rerun
Episode 7: Custom AI Policy
- Record custom dataset with LeRobot SDK
- Train policy on HuggingFace
- Deploy custom behavior (pick up dog toy)
Required Knowledge
- Arduino/Raspberry Pi Pico programming
- Servo motor control and power management
- 3D printing and CAD (for custom parts)
- Python (MicroPython and standard)
- Robot kinematics (forward/inverse)
- Machine learning basics (for Episode 7)
Hardware Used
- Episode 1-2: Arduino Uno, 9g servo motors, potentiometers, cardboard/LEGO
- Episode 3-4: Raspberry Pi Pico, 3D-printed frame, battery pack
- Episode 5-7: LeRobot SO101 kit, Feetech motors, Raspberry Pi
Resources
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