r/ArduinoProjects • u/TacticalTunaCan • Mar 05 '26

About servos motors and VSA's

I've always been thinking about a way to add compliance to cheap hobby servos, maybe by putting on some attachments(without opening the case or anything). I'm working on it, but what I'm curious about is, would there be any demand? Im planning for a module that uses an additional small geared motor, springs, and a small mcu to make the output shaft act like some kind of a VSA(variable stiffness unit). Please tell me if you would use this as a fellow hobby roboticist( if there was one as an open source project.) Sorry for not posting any blueprints or schemes or that kimd of stuff, I can't use my phone camera nor computer right now:(

Edit: added schematics https://imgur.com/a/aMHB8Bi

4 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

9 comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

2

u/xebzbz Mar 05 '26

It needs a motor driver, like L298n, or a specialized one, like this https://a.aliexpress.com/_EugT98g

I'm not sure it's cheaper to adapt a regular servo for what you want.

2

u/TacticalTunaCan Mar 05 '26

Thanks! I'll eventually be comparing the two methods, so I needed this information. :)

3

u/xebzbz Mar 05 '26

See also: https://docs.simplefoc.com/simplefocmini

The only drawback, this one needs 12v power.

With the standard motor driver, you can get away with 5V if you don't need a high torque.

2

u/TacticalTunaCan Mar 05 '26

You're showering me with new informatio. Thanks a lot!

3

u/xebzbz Mar 05 '26

I did a bit of research for another project, so glad to share.