How Powerful is the Multimodal Expansion Capability of JetArm Pro?
In the fields of robotics education and application development, flexibility often determines the boundaries of a product. Hiwonder JetArm Pro, an AI multimodal educational robot designed for ROS scenarios, is redefining the breadth and depth of applications achievable with "one robot" through its exceptional modular expandability. It is not only a high-precision 6-DOF robotic arm but also an intelligent platform that can "grow" with your needs. Through its multimodal expansion components, it effortlessly bridges various AI practice scenarios, from static manipulation to dynamic collaboration.
Chassis Expansion Gives the Robot "Feet"
JetArm Pro supports two mobile chassis expansion options: Mecanum Wheel and Tracked Chassis, transforming it from a desktop arm into an autonomous mobile robot platform.
The Mecanum Wheel chassis utilizes a patented pendulum suspension structure and CNC precision machining, enabling smooth 360° omnidirectional movement. It maintains ground contact for all four wheels even on complex terrain to prevent slippage, providing a reliable hardware foundation for motion control and ROS algorithm development.
The Tracked Chassis employs integrated anti-slip nylon tracks and high-precision encoded motors, offering excellent obstacle-crossing and anti-skid capabilities. It supports differential steering and millimeter-level motion control, making it suitable for dynamic tasks like line following and target tracking.
Both chassis support quick installation and removal, allowing users to freely switch between a "fixed workstation" and a "mobile robot," significantly broadening the possibilities for teaching and creation.
✨Free JetArm tutorials: schematics, source codes, videos & experimental projects.
Linear Rail Expansion Extends the Robotic "Reach"
To overcome the inherent workspace limitations of a robotic arm, JetArm Pro can be equipped with a dedicated electric linear rail module. Driven by a stepper motor, this rail offers an effective travel of up to 500mm and a load capacity of 10kg, achieving precise position control via I2C communication. Once installed, the robotic arm can perform linear motion along the rail, easily executing cross-region grasping, sorting, and palletizing tasks. This is especially suitable for simulating industrial scenarios like logistics sorting and automated warehousing. Its high-rigidity aluminum alloy guide rail and high-quality nylon cable carrier design also ensure long-term operational stability and durability, making it an ideal hardware platform for research in precise motion planning and closed-loop control.
Conveyor Belt Expansion Builds a "Mini Factory"
If the linear rail extends the arm's "reach," then the electric conveyor belt expansion introduces "assembly line" collaborative capabilities. JetArm Pro can work in tandem with a conveyor belt module to identify and grasp moving target objects in real-time, completing sorting, categorization, and placement tasks. This conveyor belt has an effective carrying length of 694mm, with adjustable speed and direction, realistically simulating industrial automated sorting processes. By integrating machine vision and AI models, users can build complete "perception-decision-execution" closed-loop systems. They can develop comprehensive applications like color block sorting, waste classification, and label recognition, thereby gaining a deep understanding of the practical logic behind smart manufacturing and AI vision integration.
Multimodal Fusion: From Experimental Platform to Innovation Workshop
These expansion modules do not exist in isolation; they can be deeply integrated with JetArm Pro's AI capabilities. Whether it's autonomous navigation and transportation on the mobile chassis, precise positioning and grasping on the linear rail, or dynamic visual sorting on the conveyor belt—all can leverage its deployed multimodal AI model interfaces, ROS 2 framework, and integrated 3D vision and inverse kinematics system to achieve high-level task planning and adaptive execution.
Hiwonder provides not only hardware but also a complete ecosystem including open-source code, textbook-level courses, and instructor-led video tutorials. This enables learners to progressively engage in systematic practice, from basic programming and sensor application to embodied AI and multi-robot collaboration.
The multimodal expansion capability of JetArm Pro is, in essence, Hiwonder's profound response to the demands for "scalability" and "scenario authenticity" in educational robotics. It is no longer merely a mechanical device for performing fixed tasks but an AI experimentation platform that evolves alongside the user's imagination and learning journey.
Whether for university research, vocational training, or maker development, JetArm Pro, through its flexible module combinations, helps users master the core knowledge of robotics, artificial intelligence, and automation systems through real physical interaction. It truly enables the progressive path of "from learning, to applying, to creating."