International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET)
e-ISSN: 2395-0056
Volume: 12 Issue: 07 | Jul 2025
p-ISSN: 2395-0072
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Robotic Prosthetic Arm with 4 Degree of Freedom Rotational Movement Ayan Bin Rafaih Aitchison College, Lahore, Pakistan ---------------------------------------------------------------------***--------------------------------------------------------------------Abstract This paper presents a cost-effective approach to developing a prosthetic robotic arm using Arduino-based components for individuals requiring upper limb rehabilitation. The high cost of commercial prosthetic devices makes them inaccessible to many patients, especially in low-income countries. To address this challenge, we propose a simplified 4 degree-of-freedom (DOF) robotic arm prototype that provides 180-degree rotational capability for basic daily tasks during the post-surgical recovery phase. The system utilizes an Arduino nano-microcontroller as the primary control unit, integrated with four servo motors arranged in a radial and lateral configuration to enable movement along four axes. Wireless communication is achieved through a HC-05 Bluetooth module, allowing virtual movement via an Android application with simple numerical commands. The robotic arm structure is fabricated using 3D-printed plastic components, significantly reducing manufacturing costs while maintaining functional integrity. The system operates through Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) signals with frequencies of 50 Hertz. Testing demonstrates successful execution of basic manipulation tasks including gripping, lifting and positioning objects within the operational workspace. This design offers a practical and affordable alternative for post-amputation rehabilitation, providing patients with essential motor functionality.
Key Words: Robotic arm, Prosthetic limb, Rehabilitation robotics, Assistive technology 1.INTRODUCTION Robots are being used increasingly in a wide variety of redundant tasks in order to make them efficient and fully autonomous. For example, robotic systems are in use in factories to carry out industrial tasks, where they act as human-made manipulative systems [1]. The level of diverse functionality and ease of task that robotic systems bring makes them valuable in many mechanical situations, such as in smart factories [2]. Robots are also being utilized in the prosthetic-limb industry and in lifethreatening medical situations that require amputation. This usually involves artificial mechanical limbs for the upper and lower body parts, wearable prosthetics that provide neural and touch feedback and skin-attachable wearables [3] that adhere like a normal limb to surfaces. A very important use in this case is for damaged upper limbs, specifically arms, which require a greater degree of motion and rotation to work properly in tasks such as lifting, dropping, rotating and in limb flexion. However, the majority of the prosthetic prototypes are very expensive [4]. This makes many people, especially in low-income countries, being unable to afford them, even if the neural feedback functionality is removed. There has been increased interest towards Myoelectric Arms, which however are costly too. There has been some effort at developing cheap robotic systems that could function as prosthetic limbs. For example, there are clinical trials that have been carried out with a robotic arm that could provide good neuro-rehabilitation to patients that have undergone amputation [5]. However, these arms usually use parts that might either not be available easily or might be costly to buy. Most of the robotic arms use mechanical parts that are 3D printed using different materials, along with circuit systems that connect the computer interface controlling the arm. This paper presents a simple and straightforward approach to building a prototype for a prosthetic limb that could provide 180-degree rotation and 4 degree of freedom (DOF) movement along 4 axes. We utilize the Arduino Interface as the basic microcontroller for the robotic system, while using Arduino-based modules that provide Bluetooth connections and transmission of pulse signals to and from the motors. We propose a cost-effective design for a robotic limb that could be used in the post-surgical recovery phase, as a way to provide the patient with a sufficient range of motion to carry out basic tasks.
2. LITERATURE REVIEW There has been a lot of efforts to make cost-effective robotic arms, as alternatives to amputated limbs. Most of the works utilize the Internet of Things (IoT) to make internet-controlled robotic arms while some use Arduino and MATLAB. For example, Kadir et al [6] presents a robot, controlled mostly by the internet, based on the Arduino nanoboard. The work uses an Arduino ethernet shield to connect the interface to the internet, combined with a HTML-Kit, protected behind a relay infrastructure to
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