Our story

We are Stan, Renato, and Dante—three engineers united by a shared passion for robotics, software, and innovation. Our journey began four years ago at the University of Antwerp, where we first met and discovered our mutual enthusiasm for technology. We later continued our studies at KdG University of Applied Sciences and Arts, where we had the opportunity to refine our skills and engage in hands-on projects.

Our mission

From the very beginning, we were fascinated by the potential of robotics. Stan had always dreamed of building a robotic arm, pushing the limits of what is possible with 3D printing, embedded systems, and advanced motion control. When he shared this vision with us, we were immediately on board. We recognized this as an opportunity not only to build a robotic arm but to challenge ourselves, enhance our technical abilities, and contribute to the open-source robotics community.

Our goal was clear: Design and develop a fully functional robotic arm from scratch.

Our contributions

Each of us brought a unique skill set to the project, allowing us to tackle every aspect of the robotic arm’s development:

• Stan focused on designing and building the physical arm, applying his expertise in 3D printing, mechanical design, and electronics. He also wrote the firmware, ensuring the arm operates smoothly and efficiently.
• Renato developed the graphical user interface using ImGui, creating an intuitive node-based editor for controlling and programming the arm. His experience in software development and UI/UX design ensured that our system is both powerful and user-friendly.
• Dante focused on simulation and kinematics, developing an accurate physics-based environment where users can test and optimize movements before running them on the real hardware. His implementation of inverse kinematics ensures that the arm moves precisely and efficiently.

Beyond our individual contributions, our combined experience in computer graphics and real-time rendering played a crucial role in creating realistic visualizations and simulations for the robotic arm.

A journey of innovation

Over six weeks, we poured our energy into designing, building, and refining the robotic arm as part of a school project. What began as an ambitious concept rapidly evolved into a reality—thanks to our combined skills, determination, and countless late nights of problem-solving.

This project has been much more than just an academic assignment. It has been an invaluable learning experience, pushing us to think critically, tackle complex challenges, and collaborate effectively. Witnessing our robotic arm come to life—from early concepts to a fully functional system—has been an incredibly rewarding experience.

We are immensely proud of what we’ve achieved in such a short period, and this is only the beginning. Whether this project sparks others’ interest in robotics, software development, or engineering, or serves as a springboard for future innovations, we are excited to see where this journey takes us next.

Thank you for following our story