No high-tech lab, just bedroom experiments: How 17-year-old Hiten Dharpure built world's smallest robotic arm & made Guinness history

What can a teenager build from a small room at home? For many, it might be a school project or a weekend experiment. But for 17-year-old Hiten Dharpure from Nagpur, Maharashtra, that modest workspace became the birthplace of a Guinness World Record.

According to a TOI report, the young innovator, full-stack application developer and micro-robotics engineer has earned global recognition for creating the world's smallest electro-mechanical robotic arm.

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A paperclip-sized robotic arm that made history

In January 2026, Hiten secured his second Guinness World Record after designing the world's smallest electro-mechanical robotic arm, measuring just 39.25 mm (1.54 inches). The invention is more than 5 mm smaller than the previous world record.

Despite its tiny size, the robotic arm is fully functional. It can move along three axes, pick up miniature objects and perform highly precise movements, making it an impressive feat of micro-engineering.

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Speaking about his achievement, Hiten said his goal was not simply to break a record.

"Ultra-precision micro-manufacturing does not require a big, high-level laboratory."

He added that he wanted to demonstrate that world-class engineering could emerge from an ordinary home workspace using accessible technology.

Months of trial, error and millimetre-perfect engineering

Building the robotic arm was far from straightforward.

According to the TOI report, Hiten first designed the entire structure using advanced CAD software before producing the miniature components with high-precision FDM 3D printing. He then programmed Arduino microcontrollers in C/C++, using Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) to synchronise miniature servo motors controlling the arm's movements.

The development process involved numerous failed prototypes. Some parts snapped under motor torque, while others were simply too compact to function accurately. Rather than giving up, Hiten refined each design by fractions of a millimetre until he produced a fully operational robotic arm.

His second Guinness World Record before turning 18

The robotic arm is not Hiten's first record-breaking innovation.

In April 2025, he earned his first Guinness World Record by developing the world's smallest AI weather station, measuring only 74 mm × 44 mm × 60 mm. Small enough to fit comfortably in the palm of a hand, the device uses artificial intelligence to monitor temperature, humidity and atmospheric pressure in real time.

Technology designed to solve real-world problems

Beyond Guinness World Records, Hiten has focused on creating technology with social impact.

One of his notable projects is HastaVaani, an offline Indian Sign Language (ISL) translation mobile application developed to help reduce communication barriers for people with hearing and speech impairments.

According to the TOI report, his achievements also include more than 800 academic and technical certifications in robotics, artificial intelligence and embedded systems.

He has received recognition from the India Book of Records and has been felicitated several times by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari for his contributions to innovation.


Disclaimer: This article is intended for informational and educational purposes only. Readers are advised to refer to official Guinness World Records announcements and verified sources for complete details about the records and related developments.