Description

For this project I used a servo motor and an old tape dispenser. Once I got the project working well I decided to improve its aesthetics. Since the tape dispenser was green I decided to convert it into a frog. Nevertheless, it seems that now it looks cute but it doesn’t work as it should. Probably I’ll have to remove the green paper and test it again tomorrow.

Components

• 1 Arduino Uno
• 1 Futaba Servo Motor
• 1 battery holder
• 2 rubber bands
• 1 pot
• Jumper Wires
• 1 bread board
• 1 old plastic tape dispenser
• Green paper

Code

int servoPin = 7; // Control pin for servo motor
int potPin = A0; // select the input pin for the potentiometer

int pulseWidth = 0; // Amount to pulse the servo
long lastPulse = 0; // the time in millisecs of the last pulse
int refreshTime = 20; // the time in millisecs needed in between pulses
int val; // variable used to store data from potentiometer

int minPulse = 500; // minimum pulse width

void setup() {
pinMode(servoPin, OUTPUT); // Set servo pin as an output pin
pulseWidth = minPulse; // Set the motor position to the minimum
Serial.begin(9600); // connect to the serial port
Serial.println(“servo_serial_better ready”);
}

void loop() {
val = analogRead(potPin); // read the value from the sensor, between 0 – 1024

if (val > 0 && val <= 999 ) {
pulseWidth = val*2 + minPulse; // convert angle to microseconds

Serial.print(“moving servo to “);
Serial.println(pulseWidth,DEC);

}
updateServo(); // update servo position
}

// called every loop().
void updateServo() {
// pulse the servo again if the refresh time (20 ms) has passed:
if (millis() – lastPulse >= refreshTime) {
digitalWrite(servoPin, HIGH); // Turn the motor on
delayMicroseconds(pulseWidth); // Length of the pulse sets the motor position
digitalWrite(servoPin, LOW); // Turn the motor off
lastPulse = millis(); // save the time of the last pulse
}
}