Week 8 Exploring Servo Motors and Circuitry

This week I have gotten all my parts and was able to have a hands-on demonstration of how everything works. My EMG sensors are still on the way though so I will explain how the computer can control a servo motor and some interesting properties I found with this. 

A breadboard is a key tool used in electronics prototyping. It’s a grid-like board where electronic components and wires can be inserted and interconnected to create temporary circuits for testing without soldering. This allows for quick adjustments and experimentation in circuit designs before finalization.

Jumper cables, also known as jumper wires, are essential components in electronics prototyping. They are flexible wires with connectors at each end that can be easily inserted into the holes of a breadboard or connected to electronic components. Jumper cables facilitate the creation of electrical connections between different points on a breadboard or between components without the need for soldering. This flexibility allows for the rapid construction and testing of circuits, making them indispensable tools for experimenting with various circuit configurations and designs.

The Arduino board is a powerful microcontroller platform widely used in electronics projects. It acts as the brain of the project, providing a programmable interface for controlling various electronic components. Equipped with input/output pins, it allows users to connect sensors, motors, and other devices to create interactive systems. Programming an Arduino is relatively straightforward using a simplified version of C/C++ language. 

I was able to get the servo motor to work and here is a video of it. 

https://youtube.com/shorts/O2dLhprnzYQ

However, while experimenting with two variants – the SG90 and the 996 – I encountered an interesting limitation: their relatively slow speed. This sluggishness stems from the internal mechanical gears crucial for precise movement control. While this precision is advantageous, it poses a challenge for my project’s goal of achieving 10 curls per second. Although the fingers themselves can manage this speed, the servo motors may not match it. Nonetheless, this discovery is an integral part of the experimentation process. I’ll continue to explore how to address this hurdle and optimize the motors’ performance for my project.