Make: Robotic Arms

68 Make: Robotic Arms

configuration. This can often lead to a more

rigid robot capable of higher levels of accuracy.

Another huge benefit of this configuration is that

the weight of the motors—often the heaviest

component in a robotic arm—is held close.

Imagine holding a 10-pound weight. If you were

to do so close to your body, holding that weight

up would be no problem. Now, imagine you’re

holding that same weight, but with your arms

stretched all the way out in front of you. That

weight suddenly becomes much harder to hold.

This is a great example of a mechanical principle

known as torque.

Torque is, at its core, nothing more than a force

over ...