Need help with connecting gear motors to arduino uno for robotic dog

Other Hardware Motors, Mechanics, Power and CNC
1

Hello,
i'm currently working on a robotic dog.
there are 4 motors involved here:

2 for walking (left and right)
1 for tilting the head
1 for titlting the tail

im quite a noob when it comes to arduino so sorry in advance XD
i want the robot to be controlled trough a serial monitor like when i send "forward" it walkes forward and when i say stop it stops.

im also worried about the wiring.
idk how to properly connect the motors, should i use relays so the motors can turn 2 ways, or should i connect them like the example project in the starterkit (motorized pinwheel).
but is there a way when i use the second option to let the motors turn both sides?

also is there a way to control the time the motors will turn? like:
when i send the command "tail up 1" it will run the tail motor up for 1 second.

all the motors are gear motors.

Please, i really need help.

PS. sorry for bad english, im dutch XD

2

How much experience of Arduino projects have you?

Your questions suggest that you are trying to run before you can walk.

I would have thought that servos would be appropriate for moving the limbs of a robot dog and they would be soooo much easier to work with.

Even with servos the programming will be an interesting challenge.

...R

3

Here I was hoping for someone building a re-incarnation of Frank DaCosta's "pet" (TAB Books 1141):

4

i know about the laws of physics :smiley: but what's the best mesthod to control gear motors to turn both ways?

5

You haven't said why you are not going to use servos.

If you really want to control a DC motor (doesn't matter whether it has gears or not) you need a h-bridge to allow the Arduino to control the higher currents needed by the motor. A h-bridge is a bit like an electronic double-pole-double-throw switch. By setting the appropriate Arduino output pins high or low it can change the direction of current flow through the motor.

...R

6

Here I was hoping for someone building a re-incarnation of Frank DaCosta's "pet" (TAB Books 1141):

Wow! A blast from the past. Thanks for the reference. You made my (nerdy) day.

7

Something like this?
http://dx.com/p/l9110-dual-channel-h-bridge-motor-driver-module-for-arduino-black-157149#.Uy2a9vl5OSo

8

jkctech:
Something like this?

In principle, Yes.

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