Building a simple 6-axis robot using Arduino and 6 potentiometers to control servos can be a fun and rewarding project for anyone with an interest in robotics. Not only will it give you a deeper understanding of how robots work, but it can also be a great introduction to programming and electronics. In this blog post, we will go through the steps of building a simple 6-axis robot using Arduino and 6 potentiometers to control servos.

Before we begin, here is a list of materials you will need for this project:

  • Arduino board
  • 6 servo motors
  • 6 potentiometers
  • Wires
  • Breadboard
  • Simple robot frame (optioinal)

Step 1: Setting up the Arduino The first step in building our robot is setting up the Arduino board. Connect the Arduino to your computer using a USB cable and download the Arduino software from the official website. Once the software is installed, open it and select the Arduino board you are using from the Tools menu.

Step 2: Wiring the Servo Motors Next, we will wire the servo motors to the Arduino board. Each servo motor has three wires: power, ground, and signal. Connect the power wire to the 5V pin on the Arduino, the ground wire to the GND pin, and the signal wire to a digital pin on the Arduino. Repeat this process for all 6 servo motors.

Step 3: Wiring the Potentiometers We will now wire the potentiometers to the Arduino board. Each potentiometer has three pins: power, ground, and signal. Connect the power pin to the 5V pin on the Arduino, the ground pin to the GND pin, and the signal pin to an analog pin on the Arduino. Repeat this process for all 6 potentiometers.

Step 4: Programming the Arduino Once the wiring is complete, it’s time to program the Arduino. The Arduino software has a built-in library for controlling servo motors, so we can use that to control the servos. Use the code below to control the servo motors using the potentiometers:

#include <Servo.h>

Servo servo1, servo2, servo3, servo4, servo5, servo6;
int pot1, pot2, pot3, pot4, pot5, pot6;

void setup() {
  servo1.attach(9);
  servo2.attach(10);
  servo3.attach(11);
  servo4.attach(12);
  servo5.attach(13);
  servo6.attach(14);
}

void loop() {
  pot1 = analogRead(0);
  pot2 = analogRead(1);
  pot3 = analogRead(2);
  pot4 = analogRead(3);
  pot5 = analogRead(4);
  pot6 = analogRead(5);

  servo1.write(map(pot1, 0, 1023, 0, 180));
  servo2.write(map(pot2, 0, 1023, 0, 180));
  servo3.write(map(pot3, 0, 1023, 0, 180));
  servo4.write(map(pot4, 0, 1023, 0, 180));
  servo5.write(map(pot5, 0, 1023, 0, 180));
  servo6.write(map(pot6, 0, 1023, 0, 180));

  delay(15);

In conclusion, building a simple 6-axis robot using Arduino and 6 potentiometers to control servos can be a great way to learn more about robotics, programming, and electronics. By following the steps outlined in this blog post, you can build your own robot and gain a deeper understanding of how it works. The project is easy to follow and can be completed by anyone with an interest in robotics. You can even take this project further by experimenting with different designs and adding more complex functionality. Overall, building a 6-axis robot can be an enjoyable and rewarding experience for anyone looking to learn more about robotics.