Arduino + 2 Servos + Thumbstick (joystick)

In my other 2 Arduino tutorials I have help new users to play tones and making 2 servos move with a mouse.
This time I will help you move the same 2 servos with a thumbstick.
And again I have surf the internet to see If there are tutorials that clear to understand specially for
the beginner Arduino user and, I have not found one.
To move 2 servos with the thumbstick is way easier and painless than using the mouse. And the reason for this is that some times the processing software does not work correct or there is a conflict between the arduino software and the processing software.
For all the connections I will use the bread board.

Dont forget to vote for me on the Arduino challenge!!!
 
Enjoy and have fun!!!! ;)
                                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                                                               Biomech75

Step 1: Materials

Hardware: (bought @ Radioshack)

Arduino Board (I am using the UNO REV 3 version)
2 Parallax servos
Parallax Thumbstick (joystick)
Small Bread Board
Solderless Breadboard Jumper Wire
Something to see the 2 servos movement ( I am using a broken Web Cam and some legos not shown, for this tutorial)

Comments

[trandazzo2]

Hi Biomech75 - I figured out the problem I was encountering with the up and down servo; it seems as though the diagram states to (or looks like it is) hooking to digital #4, but the coding is calling out #3. So I simply disconnected and moved the wire, verified, plugged in, uploaded and viola :) So that is a non issue now. I am experiencing vibration in the servo, a little here and there, I think what I will do is get a little larger gauge wire, the bread board doesn't seem too tight. Hoping that will stop the jittering and also allow me to make the connections much neater than 6" of wire looping everywhere :)
Tony

[biomech75]

Sorry the delay...Tony.... I am glad that this tutorial help you on your journey to the arduino world!!! ;)

[trandazzo2]

Hello Biomech75 - Loving this project!!!!! Tony here and well I am so brand new to Arduino, that I am still in diapers...I get the gist of what its all about, and your Arduino + 2 Servos + Thumbstick is just what I am looking for. With that said I have made all the connections as you stated and I can get the R-L movement down, but the U + D are not working. I constructed, deconstructed, reconstructed several times, but still only obtaining a R-L. Now I did notice in STEP 2 regarding the grounding wire for the Up & Down servo; that is connected to the same "-" spot as STEP 3 which shows the thumbstick ground. Thinking that may have been my issue, I tied the U&D ground to the ground of the thumbstick - still only getting the R & L.
Am I doing something wrong? Using the Aruino UNO, running the 1.0.4 version. Oh also note that my t/stick has been temp connected with small female connectors stripped the opposite end, twist and tie to the wires that are put into the breadboard. This is because I will need when I get it running will need to have some space between the board and the switches once I get the project up and running. Also is there a way not allow the servo to go back to position 0 once the stick is released? I know I just dumped a lot, but I hope you can assist. I am a quick learner, :)
Tony.

[thejerk]

This is lovely, other than the fact that both of the servos move together with only one direction of the joystick axis.

[lunar211]

thanks a lot Firstly i don't have access to the thumb stick so i built it Secondly the program runs fine at start then it stops completely and serial monitor goes wild!

[biomech75]

what version of Arduino software you are using??? Because I have been having trouble with the newest version. I am using arduino-0023 Try this and let me know ;)

[biomech75]

Oh OK.... you make a thumb?? I think the problem is that one of the thumb connections are stuck ( example stuck in one of the directions) that happened to me when I was making this tutorial. Lets start there first let me know how it goes

[lunar211]

i tried the program but why
1) is there "------------" coming in serial println?
2) the pin number at the start is wrong!
3)servo does not move as expected
sorry about this but please help

[biomech75]

Oh sorry about it but do tell in what step you got stuck

[Sehmus99]

hi mate, was just wondering what i would need to change to run 2x 12v window motors instead of the servos?

[ccc2]

My servos are humming quetly and vibrating a little bit. I check the joystick connections and they are fine. When check the serial monitor in the arduino software, it shows that the joystick is working. Why arn't the servos moving? Can anyone help?

thanks

[AntonioLopez]

How can I do this with two small dc motors? Servos are so noisy that my camera will pick up the noise.

Thanks............Antonio

[biomech75]

I have answer the quiestion on the arduino+2servos+mouse instructurable

Enjoy ;)

[iamozen]

is it ok if i will going to use another kind of arduino?

[biomech75]

YUP!!!! it's OK just follow the instructions

[genericusername5]

do you think you could give it a preset mode?
like if you clicked in the joystick then it would do a figure of 8. Maybe that would be better with a laser. But if you did use the webcam you could make a cool security camera!
Let me know if you have any ideas if that could be done!

[mangomango]

How accurate is this? im currently working on a remote lock picker

[biomech75]

very accurate. and simple to make... so give a try and let me know about your project

[biomech75]

Not a problem

[laserjocky]

I need to start playing with my Arduino again. Thanks for the inspirational 'Ible!

[X-main]

wow very nice like i will try my self thanks http://buzdesigner.com/index.html

[biomech75]

Thanx I am now writing tha same but wth 3 and servos ;)