A motor is a component that can rotate a shaft in continuous circles at varying speeds. However, there are many different kinds of motors; let's take a look at a few:
- DC motor: This kind of motor is the simplest: it can go in one direction, and the speed varies by the power you give it. These usually only have two wires: one for ground and one for power; we will combine the latter with the motor hat to control the speed. With the correct controller, we can move the motor in both directions.
- Motors with brakes: These motors have a third wire to control a brake that can stop the motor without the need to coast to a stop, as with DC motors. These motors are supported by the Johnny-Five library, but will not be covered in this book.
- Stepper motors: Stepper motors are used for precise movements, as they move in steps that vary based on the size of the motor. They are bi-directional by design and are great where you need the torque of a motor with precision. We'll talk more about...