The Helping Hand is remote controlled robotic arm with a claw attachment. The controller can be powered using either a battery pack or plugged directly into an outlet to provide the unit with power. The left joystick rotates the entire arm while pressing forward on either joystick will propel the arm forward. Strapping a magnet to the users finger will allow them to trigger the claw by holding it closely to the hall effect sensor on the controller. Without any inputs, the arm will remain in a standby position as pictured above.

I have always been fascinated by robots and their many forms and functions. I took this opportunity with the final Hackathon competition of my fall semester to create a personal robot utilizing sensors and inputs I had previously not worked with in a large capacity. (Hackathons are 4 hour challenges at my college where the participants can create whatever they want in the allotted time) I had previously made a fully 3D printed robotic arm with a wireless glove that would mimic the motion of my own hand therefore it felt fitting to come full circle and create a smaller version.

I began the creative process by designing an SVG file in Fusion 360 and exporting it to a laser cutter to be cut out of 1/8 in plywood. There were 3 planks with one cut in half, the controller top and bottom, and 3 circles with two having holes for the servo motor to sit inside. Once the pieces were finished, I began prototyping the electronic components using a breadboard and connector pins. Following this, I completed the coding and uploaded it to the Arduino UNO troubleshooting as problems arose. Next, the Arduino UNO, Servos, joysticks, and hall effect sensor were permanently soldered together and industrial hot glue was used to anchor the Arduino, joysticks, and hall effect sensor to the controller base before attaching the top. Each servo was attached to a wooden plank, with one being inserted into the circular base pieces, creating the joints for the arm. The final servo was positioned lower along the arm and secured to a shorter plank to create the claw. The last step was soldering the servo motors to the Arduino UNO and completing some cable management. 

The code used to allow the hall effect sensor and two axis joysticks to communicate with the Arduino UNO and servos is listed below.

Helping Hand in Action​​​​​​​