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![Drawbot.png](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/d90e03_be603938766945bfbde09ab89a68cc24~mv2_d_2000_2000_s_2.png/v1/crop/x_0,y_141,w_2000,h_1719/fill/w_437,h_371,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/Drawbot.png)
POLARBEAR
Class: Design and Prototyping
Year: Spring 2017
GOAL: create a robot that can trace a closed path inside a given triangular area.
Instead of a traditional XY-axis plotter, we chose to create a plotter that works in polar coordinates. The drawbot uses two stepper motors: one to control the angle of the arm, and another to control the length using a rack-and-pinion mechanism.
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Using an Arduino, it was impossible to run both steppers simultaneously using the built-in library, so instead our motors ran in sequence. This meant that we had to approximate straight lines using increments of angle and length, resulting in a jagged appearance.
VIDEO
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![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/d90e03_0acfa0706dcf4515904a74c51355286df000.jpg/v1/fill/w_496,h_279,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/d90e03_0acfa0706dcf4515904a74c51355286df000.jpg)
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![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/d90e03_56989d94819f4d0cac0a99a0358e9e08~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_752,h_616,al_c,q_90,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/d90e03_56989d94819f4d0cac0a99a0358e9e08~mv2.png)
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