Design and Implementation of an Esp8266-Based IOT Robotic Arm with Remote Control, Real-Time Monitoring, And Safety Mechanism

Dr.B.Babu¹, Mrs. A. Asha Kiran2, Mrs.P.Mohana3, Mr. K. Naresh4

¹Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering, Sree Venkateswara College of Engineering, North Rajupalem, Nellore, Andhra Pradesh, India

Corresponding author: bbabusvce@gmail.com

Abstract
Industrial automation increasingly requires robotic systems capable of performing repetitive material-handling operations while providing flexible control and monitoring. Conventional industrial robotic arms can involve high hardware, installation, and maintenance costs, limiting their adoption in small-scale industries, educational laboratories, and research environments. This paper presents the design and implementation of a low-cost Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled robotic arm based on the ESP8266 NodeMCU microcontroller. The proposed system combines Wi-Fi-based remote control, multi-axis servo actuation, environmental monitoring, and programmable motion-sequence execution within a single embedded platform. The robotic arm employs MG996R high-torque servo motors for joints requiring greater torque and SG90 micro servos for lightweight movements. A Blynk IoT mobile interface provides remote control through slider-based servo positioning and control functions including save, run, pause, and reset. A DHT11 temperature and humidity sensor is incorporated to monitor the operating environment and initiate a safety pause when the temperature exceeds a predefined threshold. The mechanical structure is fabricated using 3D-printed components, while a rechargeable Li-ion battery-based power system provides portable operation. The developed prototype was tested for individual joint movement, coordinated multi-axis motion, object gripping, pick-and-place operation, position storage, sequence execution, and environmental monitoring. The documented tests demonstrate successful wireless control, smooth servo movement, repetitive sequence execution, and operation of the temperature-based safety mechanism. The proposed system provides a practical platform for low-cost IoT-based automation, education, research, and small-scale material-handling applications.

Keywords: ESP8266; Internet of Things; robotic arm; Blynk; servo motor; DHT11; industrial automation; wireless control; pick-and-place; embedded system.