user33987: I am planning on a project that includes a robotic arm controlled by Arduino. A simplified program of this would be:

A robotic arm picks up an object
The robotic arm then moves the object in a straight line
The robotic arm releases the object

The problem with this is that every robotic arm that I have seen works with servos, which rotate precisely within 0 and 180 degrees. But, because the robotic arm moves with servos, it then moves in a curved path, rather than the desired straight path.
The two paths in this problem appear in this image. The one on the left is the desired, but the one on the right is the one that occurs when using any robotic arm.

Is there any way to make the robotic arm move in a straight path? Is there a specific robotic arm that moves in straight lines rather than curved lines?
Thanks for any help!
Here is the link to an example of a robotic arm picking up an object and moving in a curved path, and not a desired straight path.

user4143: You need to learn about Inverse Kinematics.

In robotics, inverse kinematics makes use of the kinematics equations to determine the joint parameters that provide a desired position for each of the robot's end-effectors. Specification of the movement of a robot so that its end-effectors achieve the desired tasks is known as motion planning. Inverse kinematics transforms the motion plan into joint actuator trajectories for the robot.

By deciding how you want the end to move and calculating the joint positions for each point along that path you can get straight line movements, etc.

33987: <p>I am planning on a project that includes a robotic arm controlled by Arduino. A simplified program of this would be:</p>

<ul>
<li>A robotic arm picks up an object</li>
<li>The robotic arm then moves the object in a straight line</li>
<li>The robotic arm releases the object</li>
</ul>

<p>The problem with this is that every robotic arm that I have seen works with <a href="https://www.arduino.cc/en/reference/servo" rel="nofollow noreferrer">servos</a>, which rotate precisely within 0 and 180 degrees. But, because the robotic arm moves with servos, it then moves in a <em>curved</em> path, rather than the desired straight path.</p>

<p><strong>The two paths in this problem appear in this image. The one on the left is the desired, but the one on the right is the one that occurs when using any robotic arm.</strong></p>

<p><a href="https://i.stack.imgur.com/W3Fpk.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.stack.imgur.com/W3Fpk.png" alt=""></a></p>

<p>Is there any way to make the robotic arm move in a straight path? Is there a specific robotic arm that moves in straight lines rather than curved lines?</p>

<p>Thanks for any help!</p>

<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUmNDbAEv_c" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Here</a> is the link to an example of a robotic arm picking up an object and moving in a curved path, and not a desired straight path.</p>
 4143: <p>You need to learn about <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inverse_kinematics" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Inverse Kinematics</a>.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>In robotics, inverse kinematics makes use of the kinematics equations to determine the joint parameters that provide a desired position for each of the robot's end-effectors. Specification of the movement of a robot so that its end-effectors achieve the desired tasks is known as motion planning. Inverse kinematics transforms the motion plan into joint actuator trajectories for the robot.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>By deciding how you want the end to move and calculating the joint positions for each point along that path you can get straight line movements, etc.</p>
