In this article I will show you how to control a very large stepper motor using an Arduino and a microstep motor driver module.
We will also examine how to read and interpret stepper motor specifications, and why the “voltage” rating doesn’t really mean anything.
Learn how to use Bipolar Junction Transistors and MOSFETs to interface high-current DC loads with an Arduino.
We will cover both BJTs and MOSFETs in this guide to interfacing your Arduino with the outside world.
Mecanum Wheels are unique wheels that allow you to propel a vehicle in any direction. Not just forward and backward, but sideways and diagonally as well.
Today, we will build a robot car that uses Mecanum Wheels. Our vehicle will also have a remote control with a joystick, a TFT display, and a rechargeable battery.
If you have ever required a very big servo motor, or one that rotates at an angle other than 180 degrees, then this article is for you! Today we will take a Seeeduino XIAO and a potentiometer and use them to construct a custom servo motor, using a DC gear motor.
This is a project I’m doing in tandem with Jeremy Fielding and his “self-driving go-kart” build.
Time to move up to another microcontroller, the ESP32. This amazing device has multiple I/O ports, WiFi, Bluetooth and BLE, analog inputs and outputs and many, many more features!
Today we will get started with the ESP32 by setting up the Arduino IDE as our programming environment and going through some of the example sketches.
In part 6 of the Build a Real Robot series, I will show you how to distribute 12-volt and 5-volt power throughout the chassis of the DB1 robot.
We will look at the schematic for the wiring and then examine some of the components used to hook everything up.
In the third installment of the “Build a REAL Robot” series I will show you how to select DC gearmotors for your robot. I’ll also show you the motors that I used in the DB1 design, and how I mounted them to the chassis.
In addition, I’ll introduce you to a very useful online tool for selecting robot motors
One of the most important, yet most overlooked, aspect of building a project is designing a method of giving it power. Power sources like batteries and AC adapters are only half of the answer, you still need to provide logic-level voltages to safely power your devices.
In this article we will look at several methods of providing safe regulated power for your electronic designs.
Servo Motors are a staple for hobbyists in a variety of fields. Whether you’re building model planes and boats or working with robotics you are sure to come up with dozens of applications just perfect for a servo motor.
Come and explore the use of inexpensive analog servo motors. They are inexpensive and easy to use. When coupled with an Arduino you can build all sorts of projects that move.
And if you need LOTS of servo motors we have just the thing for you – the PCA9685 16 Channel PWM controller. Using this board you can control 16 servos with just two connections to your Arduino. And you can expand that to 992 servos if you really need a lot of motors!
Robots are the ultimate experimenters project. Nothing else lets you unleash your creativity more than designing a robot. And now with the availability of things like the Arduino and Raspberry Pi along with a wide assortment of mechanical parts and the ability to make your own with a 3D printer, robots have become a project that any dedicated experimenter can work on.
There are so many components and design considerations that must be taken into account when building a robot, This can often be overwhelming, especially when you’re creating your first automated device. This article should provide a firm foundation for getting started on your first (or next) robotics project.