help figuring out multiple servo control with specific commands

Projects Discussion and Showcase Interactive Art
1

Im trying to create an installation piece where the servos attach to wooden blocks and switch between 2 faces (one white and one dark) to create images, and the input is controlled with an external controller.

So, the multiple servos will have to move in order to create the appropriate image, and with the input of a new command, the servos will turn to fulfill the command.

Anyone knows how to do this? Please help!

2

Making a servo move is easy. See the example programs Knob and Sweep but it can just consist of a servo.write(xxx) where xxx is the position to move to.

But that still leaves lots of questions.

  • How many is "multiple"? An average Arduino can only run about 12 servos.But if you need a lot more there are different ways to connect/run the servos that can greatly increase that number.
  • How large/heavy are the blocks and so how powerful do the servos need to be?
  • What is the "external controller" and how do you see it connecting and sending commands to whatever is running the servos? What sort of commands are they?

I'm guessing that there will be a fixed set of "images" which are hard-coded into the program as sets of servo positions in much the same way that letters and numbers are coded in for LED displays. So the commands just say "Display image 17" rather than needing to send complete instructions for each servo. Is that right?

Nothing you've said so far sounds impossible or even very difficult but it could take quite a lot of work. Do you have much experience in programming and electronics?

Steve