Pololu Micro Maestro 6-Channel USB Servo Controller (Assembled)
Description
The Micro Maestro is a highly versatile servo controller and general-purpose I/O board in a highly compact (0.85"×1.20") package. It supports three control methods: USB for direct connection to a computer, TTL serial for use with embedded systems, and internal scripting for self-contained, host controller-free applications. The channels can be configured as servo outputs for use with radio control (RC) servos or electronic speed controls (ESCs), as digital outputs, or as analog inputs. The extremely precise, high-resolution servo pulses have a jitter of less than 200 ns, making these servo controllers well suited for high-performance applications such as robotics and animatronics, and built-in speed and acceleration control for each channel make it easy to achieve smooth, seamless movements without requiring the control source to constantly compute and stream intermediate position updates to the Micro Maestro.
A free configuration and control program is available for Windows and Linux, making it simple to configure and test the device over USB, create sequences of servo movements for animatronics or walking robots, and write, step through, and run scripts stored in the servo controller. The Micro Maestro’s 1 KB of internal script memory allows storage of servo positions that can be automatically played back without any computer or external microcontroller connected.
Because the Micro Maestro’s channels can also be used as general-purpose digital outputs and analog inputs, they provide an easy way to read sensors and control peripherals directly from a PC over USB, and these channels can be used with the scripting system to enable creation of self-contained animatronic displays that respond to external stimuli and trigger additional events beyond just moving servos.
A free configuration and control program is available for Windows and Linux, making it simple to configure and test the device over USB, create sequences of servo movements for animatronics or walking robots, and write, step through, and run scripts stored in the servo controller. The Mini Maestros’ 8 KB of internal script memory allows storage of up to approximately 3000 servo positions that can be automatically played back without any computer or external microcontroller connected.
Because the Mini Maestro’s channels can also be used as general-purpose digital outputs and analog or digital inputs, it provides an easy way to read sensors and control peripherals directly from a PC over USB, and these channels can be used with the scripting system to enable creation of self-contained animatronic displays that respond to external stimuli and trigger additional events beyond just moving servos.
The Mini Maestro ships with 0.1″ male header pins installed. A USB A to mini-B cable (not included) is required to connect this device to a computer. The Mini Maestro has 0.086″ diameter mounting holes that work with #2 and M2 screws.
Main Features
- Three control methods: USB, TTL (5V) serial, and internal scripting
- 0.25μs output pulse width resolution (corresponds to approximately 0.025° for a typical servo, which is beyond what the servo could resolve)
- Pulse rate configurable from 33 to 100 Hz (2)
- Wide pulse range of 64 to 3280 μs (2)
- Individual speed and acceleration control for each channel
- Channels can be optionally configured to go to a specified position or turn off on startup or error
- Channels can also be used as general-purpose digital outputs or analog inputs
- A simple scripting language lets you program the controller to perform complex actions even after its USB and serial connections are removed
- Comprehensive user’s guide
- Free configuration and control application for Windows makes it easy to:
- Configure and test your controller
- Create, run, and save sequences of servo movements for animatronics and walking robots
- Write, step through, and run scripts stored in the servo controller
- Two ways to write software to control the Maestro from a PC:
- Virtual COM port makes it easy to send serial commands from any development environment that supports serial communication
- Pololu USB Software Development Kit allows use of more advanced native USB commands and includes example code in C#, Visual Basic .NET, and Visual C++
- TTL serial features:
- Supports 300 – 200000 bps in fixed-baud mode, 300 – 115200 bps in autodetect-baud mode (2)
- Simultaneously supports the Pololu protocol, which gives access to advanced functionality, and the simpler Scott Edwards MiniSSC II protocol (there is no need to configure the device for a particular protocol mode)
- Can be daisy-chained with other Pololu servo and motor controllers using a single serial transmit line
- Can function as a general-purpose USB-to-TTL serial adapter for projects controlled from a PC
- Maestro Arduino library makes it easier to get started controlling a Maestro from an Arduino or compatible boards like the A-Star
- Board can be powered off of USB or a 5 – 16 V battery, and it makes the regulated 5V available to the user
- Compact size of 0.85" × 1.20" (2.16 × 3.05 cm) and light weight of 0.17 oz (4.8 g) with headers
- Upgradable firmware
Micro Maestro Specifications
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Channels:
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6
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Analog input channels:
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6
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Digital input channels:
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0
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Width:
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0.85" (2.16 cm)
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Length:
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1.20" (305 cm)
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Weight(1):
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3.0 g
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Configurable pulse rate(2):
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33-100 HZ
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Pulse range(2):
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64–3280 μs
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Script size:
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1 KB
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1 This is the weight of the board without header pins or terminal blocks.
2 The available pulse rate and range depend on each other and factors such as baud rate and number of channels used.
Documentation
Maestro Servo Controller User’s Guide
Maestro Servo Controller Windows Drivers and Software
Maestro Servo Controller Linux Software
Dimension diagram of the Micro Maestro 6-Channel USB Servo Controller
Micro Maestro 6-Channel USB Servo Controller drill guide .dxf
Maestro Arduino library
