Robot Arm: Controlling J0

Development began with the base joint, J0, which was the first axis to be fully assembled and wired. The joint used a DC motor with an encoder to provide feedback, allowing the system to implement a closed-loop PID controller for position control. Running on the Arduino Mega at roughly a 100 Hz update rate, the controller read encoder feedback, calculated position error, and adjusted motor output to drive the joint toward its target position.

Implementing this control loop provided valuable practical experience applying PID control outside of coursework. While the update rate and hardware were modest, the system successfully demonstrated the core principles of closed-loop control and highlighted many of the real-world challenges that arise when moving from theoretical control systems to physical hardware.