D.I.M.E.R, which translated to English means “Investigation and Developing of Robotics and Electronic Machines,” is a robotic arm by Antonio Peñamaria. It’s made from recycled materials, so it has been an inexpensive build – around $150, according to its Hackaday.io article.
Despite its low cost, D.I.M.E.R. is able to manipulate a payload of 1kg (2.2lbs) at 115cm from the base, or an even more impressive 2kg (4.4lbs) or more if the wrist mechanism (which uses comparatively weak servo motors) is fixed. Currently, the arm functions with five degrees of freedom, or axes, plus the gripper. Peñamaria is still experimenting with this design, so its capabilities could certainly expand in the future.
The arm is controlled using an Arduino, and has both manual and automatic control modes so that it could be used for palletizing, or as shown in the first video below, for picking up screwdriver. Peñamaria would like to be able to control this arm with Bluetooth via a smartphone in the future, but his immediate goal is to improve the arm’s accuracy.
Aside from the article linked above, you can learn more about this 2016 Hackaday Prize entry on the D.I.M.E.R blog, both in Spanish and English. For another take on DIY robotics, check out this well-designed five-axis robot using Servocity parts.