A Report on Senior Design Project

2019/2020 Session
On
Animatronic Hand
By
Name: Shehu Sulaiman Rajab

ID. No: 151204013

Dept: Electrical and Electronics Engineering

Faculty: Engineering

Level: 500

SUBMITTED TO

DR. MAARUF AMINU

ELECTRICAL ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING

NILE UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA

IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT FOR THE AWARD OF BACHELOR OF ENGINEERING (B.ENG) DEGREE IN

ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING
AIM

To simulate and implement a robotic hand which imitates movement of a human hand.

INTRODUCTION

Animatronics is the use of mechatronics to create machines which seem animate rather than
robotic. Animatronic figures are most often powered by pneumatics (compressed air), and, in
special instances, hydraulics (pressurized oil), or by electrical means. The figures/models are
precisely customized with the exact dimensions and proportions of living creatures. Motion
actuators are often used to imitate “muscle” movements, such as limbs to create realistic
motions.

APPLICATIONS OF ANIMATRONICS HAND

 Extra hand in chemical fields so that the skin diseases are avoided.
 Physically challenged people use it as an extra alternative hand.
 Two hands for the same operation can be utilized with this animatronic hand.
 Its applications in space for repair of space station are useful.
 Diffusion of bombs with these animatronic hands are preferred where there is high risk
of lives.

FLOW CHART

Figure 1.0: Flowchart of Animatronics Hand

COMPONENTS USED
  10k resistor*5.
 Flex sensor *5.
 Servo motor*5.
 Male to Female jumper cables.
 Male to Male jumper cables.
 Arduino Uno Board.

CIRCUIT DIAGRAM

Figure 1.1: Interfacing Flex Sensor to Arduino Board

The Arduino uses the information about the amount of flex on each finger to control a servo
motor that is connected to each finger of the robot hand by fishing line.  The servos rotate an
appropriate amount so that the bend of the fingers on the robot hand matches the bend of the
fingers of the glove. 

Figure 1.2: Interfacing Servo Motor to Arduino

The servos require a 6 volt supply and may draw up to 2.5 Amps of current when they are all
in use.  Watch the video of the hand in action below and pay attention to the current draw
of the power supply behind the robot hand.  You will see the current draw jump around a lot as
different numbers of fingers are flexed.

SIMULATION
Proteus and Easy EDA were used in simulation of the animatronics hand. The flex sensors which
act as variable resistors worked as expected and the motors rotated in respect to the motion of
each flex sensor

Figure 1.3: Simulation of Animatronics Hand

(EasyEDA)

Figure 1.3: Simulation of Animatronics Hand (Proteus)

PROGRESS REPORT

I set up the flex sensor circuit on a bread board connecting it to the servo motors via the Arduino
controller. The servos rotated according to the amount of flex on the flex sensors. I then sew the flex
sensors onto a glove using a needle and thread and I began construction of the prototype robotic hand
using plastic. The servos are put
into the plastic hand and fishing line
is used to connect each servo to
each finger.
Figure 1.4: Flex Sensor connected Figure
on 1.5 Constructed Robot Hand
Glove with Servos

Figure 1.6: Testing the Animatronics hand

CONCLUSION

The project is mostly done, I have designed a 3d model of a hand and I intend to print it to replace the
plastic hand for it to look more realistic. I also intend to construct a power supply for the project and
add wireless module to reduce wires and make the project efficient