Programming/Using The Dobot Magician

Robots need to be guided or programmed in order to perform a task. This robotic arm can do both. With an integrated teaching program, we are able to handhold the robotic arm and guide it in order to perform a certain task. Once done, the Dobot will repeat our task by the way of a button click, sometimes with a minor divergence. Numerous adjustments can be made through the multi-functional GUI-controlling system interface named Dobot Studio; such as the speed of repetition, which can be increased by as much as ten times, a correction of the points' coordinates, etc. The only limit is the arm's extended distance - maximum reach, maximum weight overload and the end-effectors you may need to purchase or even create in order to implement your ideas also play a role.

Consider which of the two plans fits your needs before purchasing the Dobot Magician. There is a "basic plan" and an "advanced educational plan". The difference between these is that the educational plan comes with a higher cost, but as a counterweight, you get the laser-engraving, joystick-control and Wi-Fi modules that aren't included in the basic plan.

There are two versions of the Dobot Magician software, based on Windows or Linux, to make sure you can pick the version that suits your needs, and the Dobot has both an online and offline mode. We can also have a multi-Dobot cooperation for typing purposes or even more complex operations.

This robotic arm addresses both beginners and coding experts by supporting most major programming languages, such as C++, C#, Python, and Java, while an MIT programming language for kids named Scratch is also available, which one can find under the name Blockly here. API and preset modules are also integrated. Besides writing your own code, you can of course control the Magician through other, easier methods, including USB, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth connections, either through a PC or a smart device (phone or tablet). The provided control methods include gestures, voice, and even brainwave (EEG). The company says that the Dobot will move ahead in order to complete a task if you concentrate hard enough, "100%". Now, we don't know what they mean exactly with "100% concentration" since they don't provide any more information on brainwave control. We only found a video on it.


As an entry level user, I first watched a few video trailers before even touching my Dobot. Most of the processes described therein seemed kind of easy. Then, the time came to pick up the thin user's manual. Things as described on the first couple pages where quite clear and understandable for robot rookies. It was only when the X, Y, Z coordinate system and the degrees appeared on the following pages that it slowly dawned on me how hard it was about to get in the process. I found it crucial at the time to download the full manual off the official Dobot website in order to gain a better understanding of the subject.

How great our joy was when we discovered the existence of many tutorials on the dedicated official webpage, with videos and text. After all the studying, we came to the conclusion that programming the Dobot Magician certainly sounded easier said than done. If you don't read the instructions, you will spend a lot of time trying to figure out what went wrong since your robot won't work properly. There are so many different parameters that have to be set for the right module to work properly. So always consult the manuals before using a module or, even better, watch a tutorial!

Start by clicking on the right module, but do always make sure to secure it properly first. Afterward, you can proceed with your adjustments and the programming required for the task. It obviously takes time to figure out how to do so, and one has to be careful when clicking on the modules since the pins are quite delicate.

Laser engraving on a piece of laminate was the first thing we tried, and it most certainly did not work. The height adjustment was wrong, the heating rod was not ready, or it was just the wrong ingredient. Our second attempt was on a normal piece of paper. This time, we decided to design a teapot, and it worked perfectly!



There are eight modules to the main software of the Dobot Studio interface:

1. Teaching & Playback: A system to teach a robot a required trajectory. It has the Dobot perform recorded movements repeatedly by imitating human moves. There is also an advanced function of Teaching & Playback, and one can switch from "Easy" into "Pro" by pressing the respective button.
2. Write & Draw: Dobot supports BMP, SVG, and DXF file format. The provided pen can be swapped out for any other that will fit into the holder.
3. Dobot Blockly: Use Scratch to program by the way of puzzle pieces; a tool for intuitive and easy-to-understand, visual coding.
4. Script: Edit the scripting language to control Dobot.
5. Leap Motion: Control Dobot by gestures, mind control (EEG), and the use of a web cam.
6. Mouse: Control Dobot with your mouse.
7. Laser Engraving: Use this module to create engraving bitmaps with Dobot; laser engraving works on paper, leather, and wood. Do not attempt to engrave metal and don't use it for cutting purposes. Also always wear the provided glasses.
8. Add More Dobots.

Yuejiang included several written motion functions for users to be able to create their own Dobot codes. Codes provide the limit and working range protection and various joint and coordinate commands. Engineers have also included forward and inverse solution, point to point, line, and jump path planning. Everything is open source, so it is up to users to improve on those things they want to use. These examples of code share very similar principles to industrial robot developing and are very useful for those who wants to understand how an industrial robot works.



Once one masters programming the Dobot, there is an online coding community where one can upload the code. You can also download code for various tasks from there. This allows ideas and tasks that can be applied to your Dobot Magician robotic arm to be a part of a rich online library!


Initially, engineers thought of designing a shield for connecting the Arduino Mega 2560 and the three stepper driver boards, and to also include a current-amplifying module to drive the vacuum pump and solenoid valve. Meanwhile, by doing so, they managed to drive two servos with three steppers. Based on that, they modified the design to accommodate more users, which lead to the creation of another shield of Arduino. This eliminated the constitute of stepper driver boards and had them reconsider the measures for over-current protection and heat dissipation. As a final aesthetics result, fewer wires are exposed. Almost all moving parts are fitted with ball bearings, with only the main joints that connect the arm's links using another type of bearing. The base has two screws underneath of it that will need to be tightened from time to time if you use the Dobot regularly.


We cannot be sure about how time and long operating periods will affect the reliability of the motors' gears. They might loosen up after heavy usage, which might in turn make a margin of error of only 0.2 mm difficult to maintain or achieve, especially if the payload is close to the arm's limits. The reliability of these electronics is also something one can only gauge with time. However, if you like to mess with electronics and engineering in general, you might find the whole situation pretty easy to deal with as any such problem that might arise is relatively minor and easily fixed with such know-how, and this can be a great opportunity to read up on and learn much about electronics and robots in general if you are a rookie engineer. There are a certain number of available pins on Arduino that can be leveraged in open-dobot for various assignments and expansions. One of them is already implemented, the limit switch/photo interrupter.