Have you ever imagined creating a robotic hand? Cool, right?
Before you start building this amazing project, check out this viral video reel showcasing a functional prosthetic hand that inspired this project.
This guide will walk you through creating a prosthetic hand using Arduino, PCA9685 Servo Motor Driver, nylon threads, elastic threads, and 3D-printed parts. It's an exciting project combining mechanical design, electronics, and programming!
To create this project, you will need the following components:
- 3D-printed parts (fingers, palm, and frame)
- Black 1 mm elastic thread (for finger support)
- Nylon threads (for finger movements)

- Arduino Uno (microcontroller)
- PCA9685 Servo Motor Driver
- Servo motors (MG90S or equivalent)
- Jumper wires (Male-to-Male and Male-to-Female)
- Breadboard (optional)
- Power supply (5V for the servo motor driver)
- Arduino IDE
- Libraries:
Wire.h
for serial communicationPWMServoMotorDriver.h
for PCA9685 Servo Motor Driver
Print the 3D parts using .stl
files. Refer to this video tutorial for detailed guidance on printing the 3D parts.
Attach the servo motors to the prosthetic hand structure as shown in the image.
- Use nylon threads to attach the 3D-printed fingers.
- Tie black 1 mm elastic threads along the fingers for additional support.
- Secure the nylon threads to the respective servo motors to control finger movement.
- Connect the servo motors to the PCA9685 as follows:
- Black wire: Ground (GND)
- Red wire: +5V (power)
- Signal wire (Orange): Connect to the Yellow pin of the servo motor driver
- Connect the SCL pin of the PCA9685 to A5 on the Arduino Uno.
- Connect the SDA pin of the PCA9685 to A4 on the Arduino Uno.
- Connect the VCC and GND pins of the PCA9685 to:
- 5V of the Arduino Uno
- GND of the Arduino Uno
Kindly refer to the following photo for connections.
-
Upload the Code:
- Before proceeding with the connections, upload the provided code to the Arduino Uno.
- Make sure to download the necessary libraries:
Wire.h
PWMServoMotorDriver.h
- Set the baud rate to 9600 MHz in the Arduino IDE.
- Keep your PC connected to the Arduino Uno.
-
Commands for Movements:
Open the Serial Monitor in the Arduino IDE and enter the following commands to control the hand: -
Keep the angle of servo motor between 0 ~ 150 in PCA9685 Servo Driver to 180 ~ 600 degrees.
- The Max angle is 600 & MIN angle is 150 in PCA9685 Motor Driver.
Command | Action |
---|---|
1 |
Open the hand |
2 |
Close the hand |
3 |
Count 1 |
4 |
Count 2 |
5 |
Count 3 |
6 |
Count 4 |
7 |
Count 5 |
8 |
Victory gesture |
9 |
Yo gesture |
Ensure proper connections and follow instructions carefully. This project should be attempted under professional supervision. Do at your own risk.
- Ketan Thorat
- Follow on Instagram: @ketanthorat.ai
- For any queries, kindly mail at ketanthorat.ai@gmail.com
All entities and content are trademarks of Robonex Innovations. For more projects, visit our website or social media.
Happy Learning!
Signing off,
Ketan Thorat