The controller itself was something physical and handmade, not just a screen or a joystick.
Control interface build
Control build
Robot Arm Puppet
This one started with me printing a puppet-style controller for a larger robot arm. From there it was all about getting movement working bit by bit until the whole setup became something people could actually play with.
Build at a glance
What shaped Robot Arm Puppet
The main turning points and the parts that gave the build its own character.
The project moved the usual way: one bit working first, then another, then finally something usable.
What I like about this one is that it ended up feeling playful instead of purely technical.
Timeline
Story of Robot Arm Puppet
The longer version of the build, milestone by milestone — each one with the notes, photos, and video from that stage.
May 11, 2017
01
I finished the puppet controller itself
This was the first proper milestone for the project. I had the printed controller assembled and in my hands, and the next challenge was getting it to do something useful with the larger arm.
July 1, 2017
02
The elbow was the first part I got moving
It was only one joint, but that still felt like progress. Once the elbow was moving, the whole idea felt much more achievable.
December 31, 2017 to January 1, 2018
03
Then it started feeling like a real interactive build
By the end of the year it was actually working, and not long after that it was something people could play with directly. That was the point where the project stopped being a bench experiment and became fun.
Workshop service
Need a part made rather than a project story?
The project archive shows how the workshop builds. If you are here because you need something printed, repaired, or prototyped, the service page is the right next stop.