UPDATE: Just before this story is set to publish, I received an update from Dobot. Pretty good news.
“Dear Alfred,
I’m so proud to tell you that we had already achieved the goal of 100 thousand US Dollar within 23 hours. Please spread this good news with your friends.
We will update the details of shipping fee and launch our first stretch goal.”
There has been much discusion about how robotics will steal our jobs. But dobot has turned that around with a Robotic Arm that is meant for makers and businesses. This is a true multi-purpose robotic arm that can be programed via any computer to do precise jobs including 3D printing, Laser Engraving, Gripping and moving, Suction Cup, Soldering, PCB Fabrication, Writing and drawing and more. With many of these roles requiring technical skills like finding the electronic part number on technology components and working with circuit boards.
The hurdle in the past has been the price of a robotic arm, most well beyond the reach of small businesses and DIY makers. Also cheaper roboticv arms are not precise, Dobot boast a 0.02mm precision, velocity of 200 degrees per second, 1.5kg workload and 400mm maximum reach. Dobot offers the M1 at an early bird price of USD$999 with delivery expected in May 2017.
The video above goes over the main features of the Dobot.
Here is more info from the Kickstarter page.
With Dobot M1’s precision, strength and a little bit of your innovation, Dobot M1 can realize features even more than a traditional industrial robotic arm.
3D Printing
One color, more colors. Small size, bigger sizes. Dobot M1 doesn’t limit your imagination. Dobot M1 has 400mm radius and 200mm height printing area itself, and you can extend this printing area with a 1m long trail.
Laser Engraving
With 500mw PWM modulated laser, it can do both line engraving and shade engraving. Laser marking a picture or design of your choice on an object can be a very personized idea for a gift. Now you can have your favorite photo on many materials with the help of Dobot M1.
Soldering
Bring efficiency into soldering, a high concentration requiring work. Customize your circuit any time! You can build more complicated tool heads like this on Dobot M1’s easy-to-change head tool design.
There’s more. Dobot M1 can be very smart with some accessories, increasing your efficiency and creating more value.
Visual
Add a camera, Dobot M1 can distinguish colors and react at a glimpse, accuracy guaranteed. Dobot M1 has integrated visual API, which can be easily adapted with OpenCV or your own visual system.
Conveyor Belt Operation
Moving objects won’t fool Dobot M1’s visual recognizing ability either. Recognize, pick and place, a series of movements done without any mistake. The unibody design is space saving, with more flexibility to deploy and less time to maintain.
Dual-Arm Operation
Give you a hand and it’s awesome. Give you two and you can create magic. You can connect to more than one Dobot M1 at once, especially with its wireless connectivity. The possibilities out of the combination are endless.
Mobility
The built-in mapping and path planning system expands Dobot M1’s reach to a whole floor, working as a high-precision execution end, performing tasks like automatic inventory management or in-house service.
Dobot M1 is completely programmable. You can use the official script writing environment, or access to its API & SDK on your own. If you’re a stranger to coding, which is totally ok, there’s the visualized programming environment embedded for easier development.
For more info or to back the project and get your own Dobot Robotic Arm head over to the Kickstarter page here.