Interactive Servo Control with Real-Time LED Feedback: An Arduino-Based Project

Project Introduction

This project is an Arduino-based application that utilizes a servo motor and an LED matrix display to create an interactive system. The servo's angle is controlled by a potentiometer, and the current angle is displayed on the LED matrix in real-time.

Project Principle

The core principle of this project is to demonstrate the integration of input from a potentiometer, processing through an Arduino microcontroller, and output via a servo motor and an LED matrix display. The potentiometer provides an analog signal that is converted into a digital signal by the Arduino. This digital signal is then mapped to a range suitable for the servo motor's movement. The LED matrix is used to display the current angle of the servo, providing visual feedback.

Project Setup Method

1. Gather all necessary materials and components.
2. Set up the circuit according to the schematic.
3. Upload the provided code to the Arduino.
4. Power the system and observe the real-time feedback on the LED matrix.

Materials Needed

• Arduino UNO board
• LED matrix display compatible with Arduino
• Servo motor
• Potentiometer
• Jumper wires
• Breadboard (optional, for prototyping)
• Power supply for the Arduino and peripherals

Circuit Setup

1. Connect the servo motor to digital pin 9 of the Arduino.
2. Connect the potentiometer to the analog pin A0 and ground it.
3. Connect the LED matrix to the appropriate pins as per its documentation.
4. Ensure all components are powered correctly.

Code

#include "ArduinoGraphics.h"
#include "Arduino_LED_Matrix.h"
#include <Servo.h>  // Include the Servo library

ArduinoLEDMatrix matrix;
Servo myservo;  // Create a servo object
int potPin = A0;  // Define the potentiometer input pin
int potValue = 0; // Variable to read the value from the potentiometer
int angle = 0;    // Variable to store the angle for the servo

void setup() {
  myservo.attach(9);  // Attach the servo to digital pin 9
  Serial.begin(9600); // Start serial communication at 9600bps
  matrix.begin(); 

  // Initialize the display with a welcome message
  matrix.beginDraw();
  matrix.stroke(0xFFFFFFFF);
  const char text[] = "UNO r4";
  matrix.textFont(Font_4x6);
  matrix.beginText(0, 1, 0xFFFFFF);
  matrix.println(text);
  matrix.endText();

  matrix.endDraw();

  delay(2000);
}

void loop() {
  potValue = analogRead(potPin);  // Read the value from the potentiometer (0-1023)
  angle = map(potValue, 0, 1023, 0, 180); // Map the potValue to a servo angle (0-180)
  myservo.write(angle);  // Set the servo to the angle
  delay(15);  // Wait for the servo to reach the position

  // Update the display with the current servo angle
  matrix.beginDraw();
  String text = String(angle);
  matrix.textFont(Font_5x7);
  matrix.beginText(0, 1, 0xFFFFFF);
  matrix.println(text);
  matrix.endText(NO_SCROLL);

  matrix.endDraw();
}

Line-by-Line Code Explanation

• The code begins by including necessary libraries for the LED matrix and the Servo functionality.
• An instance of ArduinoLEDMatrix and Servo is created to manage the LED matrix and the servo motor, respectively.
• The potentiometer is connected to analog pin A0 for reading its value.
• In the setup() function, the servo is attached to pin 9, serial communication is initiated, and the LED matrix is initialized.
• A welcome message is displayed on the LED matrix using predefined font and color settings.
• The loop() function continuously reads the potentiometer's value, maps it to a servo angle, and writes this angle to the servo.
• The current angle is then displayed on the LED matrix, providing real-time feedback.

Demo Video