Society of Robots - Robot Forum
Electronics => Electronics => Topic started by: TriAdX on January 14, 2011, 11:03:35 AM
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I am VERY new to all this and I am trying to build a pretty complex robot... My first step is just this:
I need to be able to connect 1-2 electric motors and 1-2 servo's to my computer through a single USB.
The motors and servos would need to be externally powered (through a single plug). I need to be able to control speed and direction.
That is all! Can someone point me in the right direction? Obviously I would like to do this AS CHEAP AS POSSIBLE.
Ken
TriAdX(At)aol(dot)com
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Oh.. and I really dont want to have to BUILD anything (by this I mean putting together boards and such).. is there something I can just buy?
I could use RC components if I could plug them in to a wall and instead of using a xmitter and reciever just have the reciever connected to a computer.
Basically 2 RC car motors and 2 RC car servo's powered by the wall and controlled via computer.
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What about this? http://www.pololu.com/catalog/product/1350 (http://www.pololu.com/catalog/product/1350)
It has a USB interface and supports several servos, provided an external power source. You will need to get RC ESCs for the motors.
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You need three devices to do this, assuming you don't want to program anything.
a USB to serial adapter: http://www.sparkfun.com/products/718 (http://www.sparkfun.com/products/718)
a serial enabled motor driver: http://www.dimensionengineering.com/Sabertooth2X5.htm (http://www.dimensionengineering.com/Sabertooth2X5.htm)
and a servo controller, as rbtying mentioned.
That said, I have not a clue on what your required specs are (cheap and easy don't define motor current :P). But if you research the above and browse around, you'll have a better idea on how you'd like to do it. Those links are only examples, not necessarily recommendations.
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What is the a USB to serial adapter for? It looks like the Micro Maestro 6-Channel USB Servo Controller that rbtying showed has the USD connection build in.
What exactly does the Motor Driver do?
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The USB to serial adapter is for the serial enabled motor driver.
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A good source for robot parts is RobotShop.com