Robotic Arm Emulator For PC

Using Arduino Project Guidance
1

Hello Arduino fans!!!

I am here because I need a robotic arm emulator for my pc.
I want to program an arm, but I don't have it yet but I want to start programming it from now.
So I need an emulator to connect it with my Arduino to read sensors and control the arm. I don't know any robotic arm emulator (that can be controlled with Arduino), and I don't know how to do it. With a little bit of "Googling", I found a program named "RoboDK". Do you know if I can use this with my Arduino? If yes, how? Do you know any other similar emulator to this?

Thanks in advance for any kind of reply!!!

2

I found a program named "RoboDK".

Have you seen how much it costs ?

If I were you I would start by using the Serial monitor to output information such as "moving to 12, 80, 22 (x, y, z)", "opening gripper to 123 degrees", "moving to parking position" etc when you write to the outputs (servos or steppers, I presume) If nothing else it will help in debugging the code even when you have the real arm

Which robotic arm are you planning to get ?

3

UKHeliBob:
Have you seen how much it costs ?

If I were you I would start by using the Serial monitor to output information such as "moving to 12, 80, 22 (x, y, z)", "opening gripper to 123 degrees", "moving to parking position" etc when you write to the outputs (servos or steppers, I presume) If nothing else it will help in debugging the code even when you have the real arm

Which robotic arm are you planning to get ?

I am going to print one with a 3d printer. It will be about 25cm35cm25cm. I don't want something really big. But, can you explain to me what you said above? And do you know any emulator?
Thanks for the reply!!

4

Petrouil:
And do you know any emulator?

It would help if you explain what you think the emulator will be able to do for you? How do you plan to use it?

It is not easy to emulate real hardware.

...R

5

Robin2:
It would help if you explain what you think the emulator will be able to do for you? How do you plan to use it?

It is not easy to emulate real hardware.

...R

I mean something like this:

But instead of moving the "REAL" arm, moving the one on the emulator using Arduino sensors.

Or something like this:

But instead writing the code in python, moving the virtual arm with Arduino sensor values.

I hope you can understand me!!

6

can you explain to me what you said above?

What I have in mind is that your code will need to move the arm to the positions commanded and open/close a gripper. Whilst it would be brilliant to have a graphical display of an emulated arm I fear that interfacing such an emulation, assuming that one exists, would be more work than actually writing the code for the arm.

How will the arm be controlled ? Will it be controlled by joysticks, will it move through predetermined patterns or something else ? Whatever is controlling it you will need to send commands to it to make it move. What I am suggesting is that you print the details of the actions being taken.

How will the arm be driven ? Servos ? Steppers ?

Will you be using Inverse Kinematics so that you can issue commands like "GOTO 123, 99, 67" and have the arm move to that x, y, z position in one smooth movement or will you be issuing individual commands like "GOTO X123", "GOTO Y99", "GOTO Z67" and have the commands carried out in sequence ?

7

Unless you know in detail how long it takes for your arm to make the requested movements, emulation is futile.

Paul

8

Petrouil:
Or something like this:
https://youtu.be/Ic-iKGSc7dk
But instead writing the code in python, moving the virtual arm with Arduino sensor values.

I hope you can understand me!!

I can see what the RoboDK program does. But I completely fail to see what value it would be for you while you are waiting for your actual parts to arrive.

How do you think it would be useful to you?

...R