The Biomechanical Robotics Group has a goal of increasing prosthetic functionality and pushing the boundaries of 3D printed robotics. The team has created the Hobby Hand, a 3D printed robotic hand kit that they hope can be used as an open source test platform for engineers and programmers. A Kickstarter campaign is currently running to fund a production run of the kits.
Five servo motors provide movement to the fingers, and an Arduino mega board acts as the controller for the system. Each finger has four lines to maintain alignment and stability of the fingers and elastic bands to bring the fingers back to default position when not in use. External power is required and the kit includes a 5 Volt, 4 Ampere charger. The kit can be assembled using screwdrivers, pliers and scissors, and an extensive instruction manual including online tutorials can help builders to complete assembly. The hand components, the pulleys that move the fingers, and the base are all 3D printed. The team used PLA for the assembly in the video.
BRG hopes that the open source aspect of the Hobby Hand will encourage developers to add more functionality and variations to the hand over time. Lights and sounds are shown as possible additions in the campaign video. One of the central design goals of the project was to make the assembly modular so any of the components can be repaired or replaced without completely reassembling the hand. Makers, students, robot enthusiasts and prosthetic tinkerers could all use this kit for a variety of different projects. Educators could also benefit from having a low cost teaching tool, with a $200 price tag for a fully assembled kit including the Arduino mega, electrical components and the 3D printed pieces.
The Hobby Hand looks like a great platform for educators and makers and it’s disappointing that only $5,900 out of the $30,000 campaign goal has been pledged at this time with fourteen days left. If funded units are expected to ship in June 2016.