I have search this forum to see if anyone has designed and / or built their own manipulator arm similar in concept to the Blue print lab alpha series arms?
I am interested in the mechanical design and the control system even if not integrated into the BlueROV2 platform. If there is such a design, that would be icing on the cake, but I really want to understand the theory on how the manipulator works and is controlled.
Any info, including videos, websites, etc. would be appreciated.
I believe this thread is where the main relevant discussion has happened on the forum, so I’d suggest reading through that if you haven’t already
This is likely best addressed in the context of specific requirements. A single actuator manipulator like our Newton Gripper is relatively simple in terms of theoretical design, and quite simple to control because there’s only one thing that can move. As additional actuators and motion axes get added the complexity increases, both for the mechanical design (e.g. determining torques in different orientations) and for making a control system that allows the desired type of control (e.g. avoiding self-collisions, making control intuitive).
The general theory behind robotic manipulator design and control is likely best found in general robotics textbooks and internet searches. If you have a particular set of requirements then we may be able to help you determine particular mechanism, actuation, and/or control components that are relevant to achieving that.
It’s perhaps worth noting that while underwater operation adds some challenges in terms of pressure and electrical insulation requirements, the rest of the theory is general to any remotely (or autonomously) controlled robotic arms
Thank you for the response Eliot. I will study the Thread you attached. I understand the single axis type grippers. I was more interested in how multi axis arms are designed and made capable for underwater. If someone here on the forum had one they designed and made controls for, that would lessen the learning curve. It looks like maybe there are some interesting designs out there.
