5. Electronic Components

Our electronic components consisted of an Arduino, Arduino Shield, 360° Servo Motor, and a battery. The battery provided power for the Arduino system, which gave instructions to the Servo, which connected to the input shaft through a 1:1 gear ratio. The Arduino was programmed for the Servo to output 15 rpm because we wanted to ensure that the mechanism wouldn't run too quickly to remain stable, and also make it easy for the user to reach for the mechanism and turn it off while it's running. Additionally, the Arduino Shield was used because the battery output voltage was too high for the Arduino on its own, and the Shield protected the Arduino. The battery and Arduino components were connected to the mechanism base with duct tape, while the Servo Motor was bolted down with a 3D printed plastic part that covered the Servo and screwed into the base.