MARIO: 3DOF Robotic Arm

Project Overview

MARIO is a 3-DOF robotic manipulator that serves as the perfect teaching tool for robotics students at SRA. I enhanced and modernized this existing project by porting it from old Gazebo Classic to the latest Gazebo Fortress and added new control features.

MARIO in Action

MARIO robotic arm performing precise movements

What I Enhanced

Simulation Upgrade: Migrated from deprecated Gazebo Classic to modern Gazebo Fortress
Control System: Implemented new teleop controller for easier operation
Hardware Integration: Improved ESP32 and micro-ROS integration
Educational Focus: Made it more user-friendly for ROS2 workshops

Physical Robot

Physical MARIO robot with ESP32 control system

Hardware Features

The physical MARIO robot combines robust mechanical design with modern electronics:

3 degrees of freedom for versatile manipulation tasks
ESP32 microcontroller for real-time control
Precise servo motors for accurate positioning
micro-ROS integration for seamless ROS2 communication

Enhanced Simulation

MARIO simulation environment in Gazebo Fortress

Simulation Improvements

The upgraded simulation provides a much better learning experience:

Modern Gazebo Fortress with improved physics engine
Better rendering and visualization capabilities
Enhanced collision detection and dynamics
Improved sensor simulation for realistic behavior

Advanced Control Features

Enhanced simulation with improved physics and teleop controls

Technical Features

3 degrees of freedom for versatile manipulation
ESP32 microcontroller for real-time control
micro-ROS integration for seamless ROS2 communication
Precise servo motor control for accurate positioning
Modern Gazebo Fortress simulation environment
Teleop controller for easy manual operation

Built With

ROS2 Gazebo Fortress ESP32 micro-ROS C++ Python URDF

How It Works

The MARIO system works in two main modes:

Simulation Mode: Run complete simulations in Gazebo Fortress for testing and learning
Physical Mode: Control the real robot using ESP32 with micro-ROS for precise movements

Students can learn ROS2 concepts, practice robot programming, and see their code work both in simulation and on real hardware.

Challenges Solved

Gazebo Migration: Successfully ported from deprecated Gazebo Classic to modern Gazebo Fortress
Control System Upgrade: Improved servo control precision using ESP32 and micro-ROS
User Experience: Added teleop controller to make the robot easier to operate for beginners
Workshop Integration: Made the system more suitable for teaching ROS2 concepts

Impact

MARIO is now actively used in SRA's ROS2 workshops, helping students learn robotics concepts through hands-on experience. The enhanced simulation and improved controls make it an excellent educational tool for the next generation of robotics engineers.