Seeed Studio has introduced the reBot Arm B601-DM, a fully open-source 6-axis robotic arm with a parallel gripper, designed to ease the entry into embodied AI learning and teleoperation. Featuring high-performance Damiao actuators, the arm boasts a 767mm reach, a 1.5kg payload capacity, and precise 0.2mm repeatability.
Designed for researchers and robotic developers, the B601-DM is compatible with major AI and robotics frameworks, such as ROS 1/2, Hugging Face’s LeRobot, NVIDIA Isaac Sim, and Pinocchio.
Specifications of the Seeed Studio reBot Arm B601-DM:
– Communication: CAN bus @ 1Mbps, UART @ 921600bps
– Degrees of Freedom: 6-axis arm + 1 parallel gripper
– Motors/Actuators: 7x Damiao motors
– 4x DAMIAO 4310 (DM-J4310-2EC)
– 3x DAMIAO 4340P (DM-J4340P-2EC) high-torque motors
– Payload: 1.5kg (without gripper, at recommended 70% reach)
– Reach: 767mm (with gripper), 607mm (without gripper)
– Repeatability: 0.2 mm
– Joint Torque and Range:
– Joint 1: 27 N·m, ±2.61 rad
– Joint 2: 27 N·m, -3.7 to 0 rad
– Joint 3: 27 N·m, -3.7 to 0 rad
– Joint 4: 7 N·m, ±1.57 rad
– Joint 5: 7 N·m, ±1.57 rad
– Joint 6: 7 N·m, ±1.57 rad
– Gripper: -325° to 0° (-5.7 rad to 0 rad, 0 to 100mm width)
– Encoders: 14-bit Single-turn magnetic encoders
– Control Modes: MIT Mode, Speed Mode, Position Mode
– Max Velocity: Up to 200 rad/s on J4/J5/J6/Gripper, 50 rad/s on J1/J2/J3
– Safety: Over-temperature, over/under-voltage, over-current protection and communication loss timeouts
– Power Supply: DC 24V, 15A
– Dimensions:
– Base width: 140 mm
– Base height: ~140.2 mm
– Main vertical arm length: ~264 mm
– Upper arm segments:
– 211.42 mm
– 101.50 mm
– 160.21 mm
– Weight: ~4.5 – 4.7 kg
– Operating Temperature: -20°C to 50°C
– Material: CNC-machined Aluminum Alloy 5052 for core structural links, ABS and PLA for 3D-printed brackets and covers
The arm requires an external host computer or edge device, such as an NVIDIA Jetson board, as a controller. It uses MIT mode, enabling simultaneous position, velocity, and torque commands, vital for safe human interactions.
The B601-DM is supported by a strong software stack, offering a Python SDK based on “Motorbridge.” It is compatible with the Pinocchio framework for advanced rigid body dynamics. While some software features are under development, full ROS2 support, NVIDIA Isaac Sim integration, and LeRobot framework compatibility are expected soon. Further details are available on their GitHub repository.
AI features are powered by Hugging Face’s LeRobot framework, utilizing imitation learning to replicate human-moved arm actions. There’s also ongoing development of a reBot Arm B601-RS variant with Robstride motors. Both retail kits and DIY parts for 3D printing or CNC machining are offered, with premium sale versions available at Seeed Studio store.
The reBot Arm B601-DM is available in different packages:
– Complete DIY kit: $1,197
– Body Motor Kit: $829
– Body Structure Kit: $169
– Gripper Kit: $199
– Fully Assembled Kit: $1,499
Pre-orders for the kits are open, and the arm stands as a mid-range innovation in robotic arms, providing an affordable open-source choice with superior payload capacity.