Book Image

C Programming for Arduino

By : Julien Bayle
Book Image

C Programming for Arduino

By: Julien Bayle

Overview of this book

Physical computing allows us to build interactive physical systems by using software & hardware in order to sense and respond to the real world. C Programming for Arduino will show you how to harness powerful capabilities like sensing, feedbacks, programming and even wiring and developing your own autonomous systems. C Programming for Arduino contains everything you need to directly start wiring and coding your own electronic project. You'll learn C and how to code several types of firmware for your Arduino, and then move on to design small typical systems to understand how handling buttons, leds, LCD, network modules and much more. After running through C/C++ for the Arduino, you'll learn how to control your software by using real buttons and distance sensors and even discover how you can use your Arduino with the Processing framework so that they work in unison. Advanced coverage includes using Wi-Fi networks and batteries to make your Arduino-based hardware more mobile and flexible without wires. If you want to learn how to build your own electronic devices with powerful open-source technology, then this book is for you.
Table of Contents (21 chapters)
C Programming for Arduino
Credits
About the Author
Acknowledgement
About the Reviewers
www.PacktPub.com
Preface
Index

Controlling a servo


A servomotor is also defined as a rotary actuator that allows for very fine control of angular positions.

Many servos are widely available and quite cheap. I have had nice results with a 43 R servo, by Spring Model Electronics. You can find the datasheet at http://www.sparkfun.com/datasheets/Robotics/servo-360_e.pdf.

Servos can drive a great amount of current. This means that you wouldn't be able to use more than one or two on your Arduino board without using an external source of power.

When do we need servos?

Whenever we need a way to control a position related to a rotation angle, we can use servos.

Servos can not only be used to move small parts and make objects rotate, but can also be used to move the object including them. Robots work in this fashion, and there are many Arduino-related robot projects on the Web that are very interesting.

In the case of robots, the servo device case is fixed to a part of an arm, for instance, and the other part of the arm is fixed to...