Assignment: Simple Mechanics: Cuckoo Clock
Collaborators:
Assignment: Simple Mechanics: Cuckoo Clock
Collaborators: mcozzi, alisonm, neha
Description:
For our project, we translated rotational motion of the servo motor into linear motion by using a piston mechanism combined with a scissor-mechanism to shoot the 'pumpkin' out. We also coordinated the door-opening mechanism to the same motion of the scissor-gear fully extended. To achieve this, we tied fishing line to the outside door edges and 'pulled it open' when the gear was pulled back. We controlled the 'pumpkin clock' (via servo motor), using the potentiometer.
Components Used:
- shoebox
- tape
- tongue depressors
- brads
- balsa wood
- servo motor
- arduino board
- bread board
- k'nex
- fishing line
- string
- wire
- potentiometer
- wheel
- construction paper
- halloween spirit [boo!] :)
Arduino:
we used the program servo_control_pot.pde
/*
* Servo with Potentiometer control
* Theory and Practice of Tangible User Interfaces
* October 11 2007
*/
int servoPin = 7; // Control pin for servo motor
int potPin = 0; // select the input pin for the potentiometer
int pulseWidth = 0; // Amount to pulse the servo
long lastPulse = 0; // the time in millisecs of the last pulse
int refreshTime = 20; // the time in millisecs needed in between pulses
int val; // variable used to store data from potentiometer
int minPulse = 500; // minimum pulse width
void setup() {
pinMode(servoPin, OUTPUT); // Set servo pin as an output pin
pulseWidth = minPulse; // Set the motor position to the minimum
Serial.begin(9600); // connect to the serial port
Serial.println("servo_serial_better ready");
}
void loop() {
val = analogRead(potPin); // read the value from the sensor, between 0 - 1024
if (val > 0 && val <= 999 ) {
pulseWidth = val*2 + minPulse; // convert angle to microseconds
Serial.print("moving servo to ");
Serial.println(pulseWidth,DEC);
}
updateServo(); // update servo position
}
// called every loop().
void updateServo() {
// pulse the servo again if the refresh time (20 ms) has passed:
if (millis() - lastPulse >= refreshTime) {
digitalWrite(servoPin, HIGH); // Turn the motor on
delayMicroseconds(pulseWidth); // Length of the pulse sets the motor position
digitalWrite(servoPin, LOW); // Turn the motor off
lastPulse = millis(); // save the time of the last pulse
}
}
