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Arduino - Joystick - Servo Motor
In this tutorial, we are going to learn how to use Arduino and a joystick to control two servo motors or a pan-tilt kit with servos.
A joystick has two built-in potentiometers square with each other (called X-axis and Y-axis). These potentiometers output the analog values (called X-value and Y-value) on VRX and VRY pins. We will use these analog values to control two servo motors independently: X-value controls servo #1 and Y-value controls servo #2. In the case of the pan-tilt kit, the movement of two servo motors creates 3-D movement.
There are two application use cases:
- Use case 1: The servo motors rotate according to the movement of the joystick's thump:
- The angles of servo motors are in proportion to the values of the joystick's X-value and Y-value.
- When we release the joystick's thump ⇒ all values returns back to the center values ⇒ servo motors automatically returns back to the center position
- Use case 2: use the joystick to command servo motors (up/down/left/right commands)
- When joystick's thump is pushed to the left, move the servo motor #1 in a clockwise direction step-by-step
- When joystick's thump is pushed to the right, move the servo motor #1 in an anti-clockwise direction step-by-step
- When joystick's thump is pushed up, move the servo motor #2 in clockwise direction step-by-step
- When joystick's thump is pushed down, move the servo motor #2 in an anti-clockwise direction step-by-step
- When we release the joystick's thump ⇒ the servo motors will not return to the center position
- If the joystick is pressed (push button), The servo motors will return to the center position
- Connect Arduino to PC via USB cable
- Open Arduino IDE, select the right board and port
- Copy the above code and open with Arduino IDE
- Click Upload button on Arduino IDE to upload code to Arduino
- Open Serial Monitor
- Push the joystick in some direction
- See the servo motor's rotation
- See the result on Serial Monitor
- Navigate to the Libraries icon on the left bar of the Arduino IDE.
- Search “ezButton”, then find the button library by ArduinoGetStarted.com
- Click Install button to install ezButton library.
- Copy the above code and open with Arduino IDE
- Click Upload button on Arduino IDE to upload code to Arduino
- Open Serial Monitor
- Push the joystick in some direction
- See the servo motor's rotation
- See the result on Serial Monitor
We will explore the code for both use cases in the next parts.
Hardware Required
Or you can buy the following sensor kits:
| 1 | × | DIYables Sensor Kit (30 sensors/displays) | |
| 1 | × | DIYables Sensor Kit (18 sensors/displays) |
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Additionally, some links direct to products from our own brand, DIYables.
About Joystick and Servo Motor
If you do not know about joystick and servo motor (pinout, how it works, how to program ...), learn about them in the following tutorials:
Wiring Diagram
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Arduino Code
Arduino Code - The servo motors rotate according to the movement of the joystick's thump
/*
* Created by ArduinoGetStarted.com
*
* This example code is in the public domain
*
* Tutorial page: https://arduinogetstarted.com/tutorials/arduino-joystick-servo-motor
*/
#include <Servo.h>
#define VRX_PIN A0 // Arduino pin connected to VRX pin
#define VRY_PIN A1 // Arduino pin connected to VRY pin
#define SERVO_X_PIN 2 // Arduino pin connected to Servo motor 1
#define SERVO_Y_PIN 3 // Arduino pin connected to Servo motor 2
Servo xServo; // create servo object to control a servo 1
Servo yServo; // create servo object to control a servo 2
void setup() {
Serial.begin(9600) ;
xServo.attach(SERVO_X_PIN);
yServo.attach(SERVO_Y_PIN);
}
void loop() {
// read analog X and Y analog values
int xValue = analogRead(VRX_PIN);
int yValue = analogRead(VRY_PIN);
int xAngle = map(xValue, 0, 1023, 0, 180); // scale it to the servo's angle (0 to 180)
int yAngle = map(yValue, 0, 1023, 0, 180); // scale it to the servo's angle (0 to 180)
xServo.write(xAngle); // rotate servo motor 1
yServo.write(yAngle); // rotate servo motor 2
// print data to Serial Monitor on Arduino IDE
Serial.print("Joystick: ");
Serial.print(xValue);
Serial.print(", ");
Serial.print(yValue);
Serial.print(" => Servo Motor: ");
Serial.print(xAngle);
Serial.print("°, ");
Serial.print(yAngle);
Serial.println("°");
}
Quick Steps
COM6
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9600 baud
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Arduino Code - Use the joystick to command servo motors
/*
* Created by ArduinoGetStarted.com
*
* This example code is in the public domain
*
* Tutorial page: https://arduinogetstarted.com/tutorials/arduino-joystick-servo-motor
*/
#include <Servo.h>
#include <ezButton.h>
#define VRX_PIN A0 // Arduino pin connected to VRX pin
#define VRY_PIN A1 // Arduino pin connected to VRY pin
#define SW_PIN 2 // Arduino pin connected to SW pin
#define SERVO_X_PIN 2 // Arduino pin connected to Servo motor 1
#define SERVO_Y_PIN 3 // Arduino pin connected to Servo motor 2
#define COMMAND_NO 0x00
#define COMMAND_LEFT 0x01
#define COMMAND_RIGHT 0x02
#define COMMAND_UP 0x04
#define COMMAND_DOWN 0x08
#define LEFT_THRESHOLD 400
#define RIGHT_THRESHOLD 800
#define UP_THRESHOLD 400
#define DOWN_THRESHOLD 800
#define UPDATE_INTERVAL 100 // 100ms
ezButton button(SW_PIN);
Servo xServo; // create servo object to control a servo 1
Servo yServo; // create servo object to control a servo 2
int xValue = 0 ; // To store value of the X axis
int yValue = 0 ; // To store value of the Y axis
int xAngle = 90; // the center position of servo #1
int yAngle = 90; // the center position of servo #2
int command = COMMAND_NO;
unsigned long lastUpdateTime = 0;
void setup() {
Serial.begin(9600) ;
xServo.attach(SERVO_X_PIN);
yServo.attach(SERVO_Y_PIN);
button.setDebounceTime(50); // set debounce time to 50 milliseconds
}
void loop() {
button.loop(); // MUST call the loop() function first
if (millis() - lastUpdateTime > UPDATE_INTERVAL) {
lastUpdateTime = millis() ;
// read analog X and Y analog values
xValue = analogRead(VRX_PIN);
yValue = analogRead(VRY_PIN);
// converts the analog value to commands
// reset commands
command = COMMAND_NO;
// check left/right commands
if (xValue < LEFT_THRESHOLD)
command = command | COMMAND_LEFT;
else if (xValue > RIGHT_THRESHOLD)
command = command | COMMAND_RIGHT;
// check up/down commands
if (yValue < UP_THRESHOLD)
command = command | COMMAND_UP;
else if (yValue > DOWN_THRESHOLD)
command = command | COMMAND_DOWN;
// NOTE: AT A TIME, THERE MAY BE NO COMMAND, ONE COMMAND OR TWO COMMANDS
// print command to serial and process command
if (command & COMMAND_LEFT) {
Serial.println("COMMAND LEFT");
xAngle--;
}
if (command & COMMAND_RIGHT) {
Serial.println("COMMAND RIGHT");
xAngle++;
}
if (command & COMMAND_UP) {
Serial.println("COMMAND UP");
yAngle--;
}
if (command & COMMAND_DOWN) {
Serial.println("COMMAND DOWN");
yAngle++;
}
}
if (button.isPressed()) {
Serial.println("The button is pressed");
xAngle = 90; // the center position of servo #1
yAngle = 90; // the center position of servo #2
}
xServo.write(xAngle); // rotate servo motor 1
yServo.write(yAngle); // rotate servo motor 2
// print data to Serial Monitor on Arduino IDE
Serial.print("Servo Motor's Angle: ");
Serial.print(xAngle);
Serial.print("°, ");
Serial.print(xAngle);
Serial.println("°");
}
Quick Steps
COM6
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Clear output
9600 baud
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Code Explanation
Read the line-by-line explanation in comment lines of source code!
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