This post was last updated on November 3rd, 2021 at 02:14 pm
The Robotic Arm Edge is an affordable follow-on from the award-winning Robotic Arm Trainer. It concentrates on robotic arm technology and is a fun project for any youngster to learn about robotics.
Some adult supervision is advisable as some plastic parts need trimming, and others need accurate positioning. But no soldering is required, and no programming is necessary.
There is an option to program the arm through a windows PC using a particular USB interface bought separately (detailed below), but it is not essential.
The mechanics of the unit employ 5 motors, 5 gearboxes and a five-switch wired controller. You can command the gripper to open and close, and it will operate within the following specifications:
An enhanced feature is an audible safety indicator on all five gearboxes to prevent any gear damage or potential injury while being operated. There is also a searchlight on the gripper to enable night-time play and increase the fun of this robotic toy.
You can buy separately a USB Interface that will enable you to connect your Robotic Arm Edge to a Windows computer. It doesn't work with a Mac. It includes an interactive scriptwriter capable of writing up to 99 robotic arm functions into a script file for your use.
These scripts enable you to program the arm to perform a sequence of movements, giving you real-time interactive control via your computer.
This toy is for kids aged 10 years and older - boys or girls - and is a good quality introduction to robotics. It comes with full instructions, but you will need to buy some batteries (D cell).
The OWI Robotic Arm Edge is fun to build and is well priced at Amazon.
Another choice:
A wireless remote control version of OWI Robotic Arm Edge offers similar fun build and use, but without the power cord. Check it out HERE!