SENSORS/ACTUATORS

Arduino Nano 33 IoT - Joystick - Servo Motor

In this guide, you'll learn how to use the Arduino Nano 33 IoT board and a joystick to control either two servo motors or a pan-tilt kit that uses servos.

A joystick has two built-in variable resistors that are arranged at right angles (called the X-axis and Y-axis). These resistors send analog signals (called the X-value and Y-value) through the VRX and VRY pins. We use these signals to control two servo motors separately: the X-value controls servo motor #1 and the Y-value controls servo motor #2. In a pan-tilt kit, moving these two servo motors makes a 3-D movement.

Arduino Nano 33 IoT Joystick Servo Motor

There are two ways to use this application:

Use case 1: The servo motors move as the joystick thumb moves:

The servo motors' angles change in proportion to the joystick's X and Y values.
When the joystick thumb is released, all values go back to the center, and the servo motors return to the center.

Use case 2: Use the joystick to control the servo motors (up, down, left, right):

When the joystick thumb is pushed to the left, servo motor #1 moves slowly in a clockwise direction.
When the joystick thumb is pushed to the right, servo motor #1 moves slowly in an anti-clockwise direction.
When the joystick thumb is pushed up, servo motor #2 moves slowly in a clockwise direction.
When the joystick thumb is pushed down, servo motor #2 moves slowly in an anti-clockwise direction.
When the joystick thumb is released, the servo motors do not return to the center.
If the joystick is pressed (button pressed), the servo motors return to the center.

In the next sections, we will look at the code for both examples.

Hardware Preparation

1	×	Arduino Nano 33 IoT
1	×	Micro USB Cable
1	×	Joystick
2	×	Servo Motor
2	×	Optionally, Pan-tilt kit with servo motor
1	×	Breadboard
1	×	Jumper Wires
1	×	Optionally, DC Power Jack
1	×	Recommended: Screw Terminal Expansion Board for Arduino Nano
1	×	Recommended: Breakout Expansion Board for Arduino Nano
1	×	Recommended: Power Splitter for Arduino Nano

Or you can buy the following sensor kits:

1	×	DIYables Sensor Kit (30 sensors/displays)
1	×	DIYables Sensor Kit (18 sensors/displays)

Disclosure: Some of the links provided in this section are Amazon affiliate links. We may receive a commission for any purchases made through these links at no additional cost to you.
Additionally, some of these links are for products from our own brand, DIYables .

Overview of Joystick and Servo Motor

If you're new to using the Joystick, Servo Motor, and Arduino Nano 33 IoT, please check out these tutorials:

These tutorials explain how Joystick and Servo Motor work, their pinouts, how to connect them to the Arduino Nano 33 IoT, and how to program Arduino Nano 33 IoT to work with the Joystick and Servo Motor.

Wiring Diagram

This image is created using Fritzing. Click to enlarge image

※ NOTE THAT:

Please note that the Arduino Nano 33 IoT pins A4 and A5 have built-in pull-up resistors for I2C communication. Although these pins can be used as digital input pins, it is recommended to avoid using them for digital input. If you must use them, do not use internal or external pull-down resistors for these pins

Arduino Nano 33 IoT Code

Arduino Nano 33 IoT Code - The servo motors rotate according to the movement of the joystick's thump

Detailed Instructions

If you are new to the Arduino Nano 33 IoT, be sure to check out our Getting Started with Arduino Nano 33 IoT tutorial. Then, follow these steps:

Connect the components to the Arduino Nano 33 IoT board as depicted in the diagram.
Use a USB cable to connect the Arduino Nano 33 IoT board to your computer.
Launch the Arduino IDE on your computer.
Select the Arduino Nano 33 IoT board and choose its corresponding COM port.
Copy the code above and open it in the Arduino IDE. Then click the Upload button in the Arduino IDE to load the code onto your Arduino Nano 33 IoT.

Open the serial monitor.
Move the joystick in any direction.
Watch the servo motor turn.
Check the outcome in the serial monitor.

COM6

Send

Coming soon

Autoscroll Show timestamp

Clear output

9600 baud

Newline

You might have noticed that the servo motor doesn't move exactly the same way as the joystick. This problem isn't caused by the joystick or the servo motor, but by the ADC on the Arduino Nano 33 IoT. We'll explain why this happens at the end of this guide.

Arduino Nano 33 IoT Code - Use the joystick to command servo motors

/* * This Arduino Nano 33 IoT code was developed by newbiely.com * * This Arduino Nano 33 IoT code is made available for public use without any restriction * * For comprehensive instructions and wiring diagrams, please visit: * https://newbiely.com/tutorials/arduino-nano-iot/arduino-nano-33-iot-joystick-servo-motor */ #include <Servo.h> #include <ezButton.h> #define VRX_PIN A7 // The Arduino Nano 33 IoT pin connected to VRX pin #define VRY_PIN A6 // The Arduino Nano 33 IoT pin connected to VRY pin #define SW_PIN 2 // The Arduino Nano 33 IoT pin connected to SW pin #define SERVO_X_PIN 6 // The Arduino Nano 33 IoT pin connected to Servo motor 1 #define SERVO_Y_PIN 11 // The Arduino Nano 33 IoT 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 1000 #define RIGHT_THRESHOLD 3000 #define UP_THRESHOLD 1000 #define DOWN_THRESHOLD 3000 #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 valueX = 0 ; // to store the X-axis value int valueY = 0 ; // to store the Y-axis value 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 X and Y analog values valueX = analogRead(VRX_PIN); valueY = analogRead(VRY_PIN); // converts the analog value to commands // reset commands command = COMMAND_NO; // check left/right commands if (valueX < LEFT_THRESHOLD) command = command | COMMAND_LEFT; else if (valueX > RIGHT_THRESHOLD) command = command | COMMAND_RIGHT; // check up/down commands if (valueY < UP_THRESHOLD) command = command | COMMAND_UP; else if (valueY > 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("°"); }

Detailed Instructions

Open the Library Manager by clicking the Library Manager icon on the left side of the Arduino IDE.
Type ezButton in the search box and look for the button library from ArduinoGetStarted.com.
Click the Install button to add the ezButton library.

Copy the code above and open it in Arduino IDE
Click the Upload button in Arduino IDE to send the code to the Arduino Nano 33 IoT
Open the Serial Monitor
Move the joystick in any direction
Watch the servo motor turn
Check the result in the Serial Monitor

COM6

Send

Autoscroll Show timestamp

Clear output

9600 baud

Newline

Code Explanation

Read the step-by-step explanation in the code comments!

Video Tutorial

Function References

Learn More

Arduino Nano 33 IoT - Joystick

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