Need some hugs? Build a HugBot!

And now for something different comes the following robot by Katie Dektar - the HugBot. This is a cute little robot with a 3D-printed skeleton, whose arms can move in and out via stepper motors that move lines inside the arms for a realistic hugging effect. 

Each arm and matching vertebrae has two lines, one line for open and one for close, so each arm can be controlled in turn or at the same time to create the hugging motion - as shown in the video below:

An Arduino can easily control the two required stepper motors - and the HugBot is activated by a sensor in the head which can be used to control the amount of hugs. 

This is a fun project for any Arduino enthusiast and those with a 3D printer. For more details please visit the project page. 

And if you're interested in making your version of the Hugbot, PMD Way can help you out with the required parts, such as:

• Arduino Uno compatible boards
• Stepper motors and drivers
• a huge range of sensors
• ... and much more!