The field of robotics is moving towards increasing accessibility and affordability, with a focus on developing low-cost robotic platforms and teleoperation systems. This shift is driven by the need to make robotics education and research more inclusive, as well as to improve the usability of robotic systems in various applications. Recent developments have led to the creation of cost-effective robotic arms and teleoperation interfaces, which are enabling more people to engage with robotics and explore its potential. Notably, innovations in 3D printing and open-source design are playing a significant role in reducing the cost of robotic platforms, while advancements in teleoperation are improving the ease of use and effectiveness of remote robotic control.

Some noteworthy papers in this area include: TARA, a low-cost 3D-printed robotic arm designed for accessible robotics education, which offers a highly capable platform for approximately 200 USD. U-ARM, an ultra-low-cost general teleoperation interface for robot manipulation, which achieves a bill of materials cost of only 50.5 USD for the 6-DoF leader arm and 56.8 USD for the 7-DoF version. DEXOP, a device for robotic transfer of dexterous human manipulation, which enables the collection of high-quality demonstration data at scale and improves task performance per unit time of data collection. CRISP, a compliant ROS2 controller for learning-based manipulation policies and teleoperation, which provides a unified pipeline for recording data from hardware and simulation and deploying high-level learning-based policies seamlessly.