Robotics Technology

ARMS
• The robot arm comes in all shapes and sizes and is
the single most important part in robotic
architecture.
• The arm is the part of the robot that positions the
End Effector and Sensors to do their pre-
programmed business.
• Many (but not all) resemble human arms, and have
shoulders, elbows, wrists, even fingers.
• This gives the robot a lot of ways to position itself in
its environment.
• Many robots resemble human arms, and have shoulders,
elbows, wrists, even fingers.
• This gives a robot lots of options for moving, and helps it
do things in place of a human arm.
• In order to reach any possible point in space within its work
envelope, a robot uses a total of 7 degrees of freedom.
• Each direction a joint can go gives an arm 1 degree.
• So, a simple robot arm with 3 degrees of freedom could
move in 3 ways: up and down, left and right, forward and
backward.
• Many robots of today are designed to move with these 7
degrees of freedom.
• The human arm is an amazing design. It allows us to
place our all-purpose end effector, the hand, where
it is needed.
• Jointed arm robots mimic the ability of human arms
to be flexible, precise, and ready for a wide variety
of tasks.
• The jointed-arm robot has six degrees of freedom,
which enable it to perform jobs that require
versatility and dexterity.
• The design of a jointed-arm robot is similar to a
human arm, but not exactly the same.
Degrees of Freedom
Seven Degrees of Freedom
• The robotic arm is very similar to the human arm
in that it has the capability of having 7 and not 6
degrees of movement, as previously thought.
• Out of the 7 degrees of movement, your shoulder
has 3 of the arm�s 7 degrees of freedom.
• The easiest way to explain the movement of the
robotic arm is to use your own arm as an example.
Hold out your arm and follow along . . .
First Degree: Shoulder Pitch

•To find your arm's first degree of freedom:

•Point your entire arm straight out in front of
you.
•Move your shoulder up and down. The up and
down movement of the shoulder is called the
shoulder pitch.
Second Degree: Arm Yaw

•To find your arm's second degree of

freedom:
•Point your entire arm straight out in front of
you. Move your entire arm from side to
side. This side to side movement is called
the arm yaw.
Third Degree: Shoulder roll

•To find your arm's third degree of freedom:

•Point your entire arm straight out in front of
you. Now, roll your entire arm from the
shoulder, as if you were screwing in a light
bulb. This rotating movement is called a
shoulder roll.
Fourth Degree: Elbow Pitch

•To find your arm's fourth degree of

freedom:
•Point your entire arm straight out in front of
you. Hold your arm still, then bend only
your elbow. Your elbow can move up and
down. This up and down movement of the
shoulder is called the shoulder pitch.
Fifth Degree: Wrist Pitch

•To find your arm's fifth degree of freedom:

•Point your entire arm straight out in front of
you. Without moving your shoulder or
elbow, flex your wrist up and down. This up
and down movement of the wrist is called
the wrist pitch.
Sixth Degree: Wrist Yaw

•To find your arm's sixth degree of freedom:

•Point your entire arm straight out in front
of you. Without moving your shoulder or
elbow, flex your wrist from side to side. The
side to side movement is called the wrist
yaw.
Seventh Degree: Wrist Roll

•To find your arm's seventh degree of freedom:

•Point your entire arm straight out in front of
you. Without moving your shoulder or elbow,
rotate your wrist, as if you were turning a
doorknob. The rotation of the wrist is called
the wrist roll.