The Wooden Menace: DIY robotic arm on the cheap

Oh yeah, we've seen our fair share of robotic arms, but it's not everyday that a craftsman posts an eight-page tutorial on how to construct one of your own for less than $60. The Wooden Menace was designed to show that an inexpensive robotic arm could indeed be constructed using household junk and a few store-bought parts, and while its utility is relatively limited, there's a certain level of cool to having such a device guarding your paperwork at the office. Aside from a cloned PS1 controller and a few hunks of wood, you'll only need a voltage regulator, microcontroller, five servos, a 20MHz oscillator and a few other parts to make it all come together. No need in giving you the run down here -- there's eight pages chock full of details (videos included) awaiting you in the read link below.

[Via MAKE]

[nih @ Dec 2nd 2007 10:56AM]

Now all it needs is a programmable controller and a fleshlight and a new era in sexbots shall reign!

[Blackstar @ Dec 2nd 2007 7:47PM]

If that happens, a new era of genitals with splinters in them will be what reigns. What the heck is a 'fleshlight' anyway? O.o Pervert.

[Wwhat @ Dec 2nd 2007 2:38PM]

I prefer aluminium.

[Dull @ Dec 2nd 2007 6:52PM]

Nintendo's R.O.B. gets reinvented for the Playstation.

[Joseph @ Dec 2nd 2007 9:54PM]

"you'll only need a voltage regulator, microcontroller, five servos, a 20MHz oscillator and a few other parts to make it all come together"
I'm off to home depot.

[LiqwidZero @ Dec 2nd 2007 10:36PM]

Someone's stampin' for a clampin'!!!

[jrgd @ Dec 3rd 2007 10:59AM]

wow!
it would be nice to replace the controller by a usb plug and control it trough a vnc - aimbot anyone?