guidance needed - remotely controlled wifi unit with servos

Projects General Guidance
1

hello,

I posted a topic a while ago on this and I'm struggling wrapping my head around all the options out there.

I want to be able to have a unit, that is able to be accessed on your local area network via wi-fi (and down the road externally as well). I think I really should start with the foundation before I go into great detail and further modification with chips and coding.

I don't know what I need to buy to make this all come together.

As far as I can tell, my shopping list looks like this:

  • main arduino chip
  • wifi shield (unless it's built in the arduino chip)
  • 2 servos, 1 continuous servo... or maybe I should use a stepper motor instead?
  • power supply

Anyone have some help here?

2

It's a bit light on detail, but you'll need a power supply.
Figure on an amp per servo (depends on type/load) and 500mA for the Arduino/wifi shield.

3

AWOL:
It's a bit light on detail, but you'll need a power supply.
Figure on an amp per servo (depends on type/load) and 500mA for the Arduino/wifi shield.

thats right, I forgot the power. I'm realizing too that I may instead use a stepper motor instead of a continuos servo. I think the power stuff I can figure out, but I really have no idea which chip to use and which is the cheapest wifi solution for this project.

4

but I really have no idea which chip to use and which is the cheapest wifi solution for this project.

Good, fast, cheap..., chose any two. The wifly shield seems to have good documentation.

5

If you explained what the motors/steppers/servos/continuous rotation servos were intended to do, perhaps people could advise you which was more appropriate to your situation.

6

PeterH:
If you explained what the motors/steppers/servos/continuous rotation servos were intended to do, perhaps people could advise you which was more appropriate to your situation.

I'm trying to create a dog food feeder for fun.

I've seen a few youtube videos on it but not much explanation on what they did or why.

I figured just using a 5 gallon water jug upside down to feed into something that will rotate the food. Not sure yet if it will be something mounted horizontally (like a carousel pushing food to an open slot that will drop it) or vertically (like a ferris wheel?).