Project with PING))) Ultrasonic Distance Sensor and Analog 180° Micro Servo

Projects General Guidance
1

Hello folks!

I’m really new to arduino, electronics and programming. I recently ordered the arduino starter kit.

Please let me explain, what I’m trying to build:

There’s an approximately 1 m^2 black cardboard, which I’m laser-cutting type (some words) in.

I’ll glue some tracing paper to the backside of the cardboard.

Then, the backside of the cardboard is illuminated by a video projector.

I thought I could put the PING))) Ultrasonic Distance Sensor at the front of my cardboard, so e.g. when a person steps in front of the cardboard (a distance of approximately 0.5 m), the PING))) would tell my arduino to spin the Analog 180° Micro Servo one time.

Am I understanding this right, that the Analog 180° Micro Servo does 180° spins?

If the person steps back or leaves the position, which I’m going to mark on the floor, then the Analog 180° Micro Servo again spins 180°.

The Analog 180° Micro Servo again spins 180° sits besides the lens of the projector, on one of its “arms” I’ll glue (or something like that) some paper, so if there’s e.g. no person on the marked position, the projector’s light doesn’t reach the cardboard, because it’s stopped by the paper which is attached to the motor.

If someone steps in front of my exhibit, the servo spins 180° and the light from the projector will light up my exhibit.

Will this work?

Where can I get approximately 100 cm long male jumper cables?

Thanks!

2

Hi,
Sounds very possible to me, but what does the servo do?? will it let the projector shine on the cupboard? I'm not sure that, that servo spins 180 Degs but most do (more or less).

Sorry just re-read your post, yes it's a lens cap for the projector lens. I don't see a problem at all. Coding should be fairly simple too.

Not sure where you can get 100cm jumpers from, why not use normal wire, soldered onto shorter jumpers??

Regards

Mel.

3

Some servos can actually only move through 170 deg and others can move through 190deg. If you need exactly 180deg then you should check carefully before buying.

You can get a sail-winch servo that can turn through about 3 full revolutions - but they are usually standard size rather than micro-sized.

From your description I worry that you think the servo can go from 0 to 180 deg and then, for the next move, continue in the same direction from 180 deg to 360 deg. They can't do that. They can move from 0 to 180 deg and then rotate backwards from 180 to 0.

...R

4

Thanks for your answers! : )

Cactusface:
Sorry just re-read your post, yes it's a lens cap for the projector lens. I don't see a problem at all. Coding should be fairly simple too.

Not sure where you can get 100cm jumpers from, why not use normal wire, soldered onto shorter jumpers??

Great!

Ok, then I’ll look for normal wires, thanks.

Robin2:
Some servos can actually only move through 170 deg and others can move through 190deg. If you need exactly 180deg then you should check carefully before buying.

I’m talking about that servo which comes shipped with the arduino starter-kit. Will it work with this one?

Robin2:
From your description I worry that you think the servo can go from 0 to 180 deg and then, for the next move, continue in the same direction from 180 deg to 360 deg. They can't do that. They can move from 0 to 180 deg and then rotate backwards from 180 to 0.

That’s good to know, I wasn’t sure about that. But for this project, that shouldn’t be a problem, or am I wrong?

At one state, the servo hides the lens, at the other state, the lens is not hidden. If the servo goes from 0 to 180 deg and then back or from 180 to 360 deg shouldn't make a difference?

Thanks! : )