Versions Compared

Key

  • This line was added.
  • This line was removed.
  • Formatting was changed.

...

The Lynxmotion Smart Servos (LSS) are compact, modular and configurable actuators designed to be an evolution of the standard RC servo for use in multi-degree-of-freedom roboticsthat provide greater control than standard PWM servos. The servo lineup currently includes three “smart servos” which appear physically the same, sharing the same dimensions , and mounting points and output spline, but differing in maximum torque and speed. 

Power: The servos need 6-12V, and 12v for maximum speed and torque.

Getting Started:

...

The lynx motion has a simple serial protocol for controlling the motor, that is human-readable:

  1. Number sign #

  2. Servo ID number as an integer

  3. Action command (two to three letters, no spaces, capital or lower case)

  4. Configuration value in the correct units with no decimal

  5. End with a control / carriage return '<cr>'

Ex: #5PD1443<cr>

Additional Parts:

Hookup with Power-hub

...

The power hub is the most universal way of connecting to the motors. You will need an external power source with a 5mm jack for 12v. Care should be taken when connecting the VIN pin, as this will be 12 volts!

...

Example Code for Arduino

While the Arduino library is Ther is a custom LSS library for Arduino, but it's not necessarily needed to control the smart servos, some of these examples make use of itand it is not compatible with the IAD shields for both MKR and Arduino Uno.

This example cycles through the LED colours of the smart servos.

Important. The following examples are written using Lynx smart motion Arduino library 1.4.1. Newer versions no longer support Software Serial. If you wish to be able to select which pins the servos are connected to (as in examples below), install the older version of the library-

Code Block
languagec#
#include <LSS.h>
#include <SoftwareSerial.h>

SoftwareSerial servoSerial(8, 9);
// give the id matching your device
#define LSS_ID (254) // ID 254 to broadcast to every motor on bus
// Create one LSS object
LSS myLSS = LSS(LSS_ID);

void setup()
{
  servoSerial.begin(LSS_DefaultBaud);
  LSS::initBus(servoSerial, LSS_DefaultBaud);
}

void loop()
{
	// Loop through each of the 8 LED color (black = 0, red = 1, ..., white = 7)
	for (uint8_t i = LSS_LED_Black; i <= LSS_LED_White; i++){
	// Set the color (session only) of the LSS
    //> https://www.robotshop.com/info/wiki/lynxmotion/view/lynxmotion-smart-servo/lss-communication-protocol/#H14.LEDColor28LED29
    // Options are:
    // LSS_LED_Black = 0
    // LSS_LED_Red = 1
    // LSS_LED_Green = 2
    // LSS_LED_Blue = 3
    // LSS_LED_Yellow = 4
    // LSS_LED_Cyan = 5
    // LSS_LED_Magenta = 6
    // LSS_LED_White = 7
	  myLSS.setColorLED((LSS_LED_Color) i);
	 delay(1000);
	}
}

This example goes through the basic setup and movement

...

languagecpp

...

Code Block
languagec#
#include <SoftwareSerial.h>

#define rxPin 8
#define txPin 9
SoftwareSerial mySerial(rxPin, txPin);  // Create the new software serial instance

#define LSS_ID 254 // ID 254 to broadcast to every motor on bus


void setup()
{
  mySerial.begin(115200); // Important! this is the standard speed for talking to LSS
  mySerial.print("#0D1500\r");  // this is used to clear the serial buffer
}

void loop()
{
	// Loop through each of the 8 LED color (black = 0, red = 1, ..., white = 7)
	for (uint8_t LEDCode = 0; LEDCode <= 7; LEDCode++){
	// Set the color (session only) of the LSS
    // Options are:
    // LSS_LED_Black = 0
    // LSS_LED_Red = 1
    // LSS_LED_Green = 2
    // LSS_LED_Blue = 3
    // LSS_LED_Yellow = 4
    // LSS_LED_Cyan = 5
    // LSS_LED_Magenta = 6
    // LSS_LED_White = 7
	  mySerial.print(String("#") + LSS_ID + String("LED") + LEDCode + "\r"); // set LED
	 delay(1000);
	}
}

This example goes through the basic setup and movement

Code Block
languagecpp
#include <SoftwareSerial.h>

#define rxPin 8
#define txPin 9
SoftwareSerial mySerial(rxPin, txPin);  // Create the new software serial instance

#define LSS_ID 254 // ID 254 to broadcast to every motor on bus

void setup()
{
  mySerial.begin(115200); // Important! this is the standard speed for talking to LSS
  mySerial.print("#0D1500\r");  // this is used to clear the serial buffer
}

void loop() {
  // Move the LSS continuously in one direction
  mySerial.print(String("#") + LSS_ID + String("WR") + 10  + "\r"); // RPM move
  delay(5000);
  // Move the LSS continuously in the oposite direction
  mySerial.print(String("#") + LSS_ID + String("WR") + -10  + "\r"); // RPM move
  delay(5000);
  // faster!
  mySerial.print(String("#") + LSS_ID + String("WR") + -60  + "\r"); // RPM move
  delay(3000);
  // go Limp!
 mySerial.print(String("#") + LSS_ID + String("L") + "\r"); // Limp
  delay(5000);
  // Movemove relative thefrom LSScurrent continuouslyposition in the oposite direction
  myLSS.wheelRPM(-10);
  delay(5000);
  // faster!
  myLSS.wheelRPM(-60);
  delay(3000);
  // go Limp!
  myLSS.limp();1/10° (i.e 100 = 10 degrees)
  mySerial.print(String("#") + LSS_ID + String("D") + int(60*10)  + "\r"); // move 100 degrees
  delay(5000);
  // moveMove relativeto from currentspecific position in 1/10° (i.e 100 = 10 degrees)
  myLSSmySerial.moveRelative(100);
  delay(5000);
  // Move to specific position in 1/10° (i.e 100 = 10 degrees)
  myLSS.move(400);print(String("#") + LSS_ID + String("D") + int(360*10)  + "\r"); // move 360 degrees
  delay(7000);
}

Multiple Servos

For controlling multiple servos, you will first need to give each motor a unique ID. You will need to must attach each motor separately , and modify the code below to change it’s its ID to a value between 0 and 2530 and 253. Afterwards, the servo will always remember it’s new ID.

Code Block
languagec#
#include <LSS.h>
#include <SoftwareSerial.h>

SoftwareSerial servoSerialmySerial(8, 9);

// ID set to default LSS ID = 0
#define LSS_ID_old (254)354 // ID 254 to broadcast to every motor on bus
#define LSS_ID   (0) // the new ID 
#define LSS_BAUD
(LSS_DefaultBaud)

// Create one LSS object
LSS myLSS = LSS(LSS_ID);

void setup()
{
  mySerial.begin(115200); // Important! this setis the datastandard ratespeed for thetalking SoftwareSerialto portLSS
  servoSerialmySerial.begin(LSS_BAUDprint("#0D1500\r");   // this is used to clear the serial buffer
  servoSerial.print("#0D1500\r");
  delay(1000);
 
LSS::initBus(servoSerial, LSS_BAUD);   //change ID 
  servoSerialmySerial.print(String("#") + LSS_ID_old + String("CID") + LSS_ID + "\r");
  delay(2000);
}
void loop() {
}

...

Code Block
languagecpp
#include <LSS<SoftwareSerial.h>
#include
<SoftwareSerial.h>
SoftwareSerial servoSerialmySerial(8, 9);

#define LSS_ID1    (1) 
#define LSS_ID2ID2  0


int direction = -1;

void setup(0) #define{
LSS_BAUD  (LSS_DefaultBaud)
mySerial.begin(115200); // Create two LSS objects Important! this is the standard speed for talking to LSS
myLSS1 = LSS(LSS_ID1mySerial.print("#0D1500\r"); LSS myLSS2 = LSS(LSS_ID2);
int direction = -1;

void setup() {
  servoSerial.begin(LSS_BAUD);// this is used to clear the serial buffer
}

void loop() {
  // Initializemotor thedirection LSS
bus   LSS::initBus(servoSerial, LSS_BAUD);
  Serial.begin(LSS_BAUD);
}

void loop() {
  // motor direction 
  myLSS1.wheelRPM(-direction*60);
  myLSS2.wheelRPM(60*direction);
  delay(4000mySerial.print(String("#") + LSS_ID + String("WR") +-direction*60) + "\r"); // RPM move
  mySerial.print(String("#") + LSS_ID + String("WR") + 60*direction  + "\r"); // RPM move
  delay(5000);
  // reversreverse dierctiondirection 
  direction = -direction;
}

...

A reset may sometimes be needed

Code Block
languagec#
#include <LSS.h>
#include <SoftwareSerial.h>

SoftwareSerial servoSerial(8, 9);

// ID set to default LSS ID = 0
#define LSS_ID_old (254) // ID 254 to broadcast to every motor on bus
#define LSS_BAUD	(LSS_DefaultBaud)
LSS_ID 254 // CreateID 254 oneto LSSbroadcast objectto LSSevery myLSSmotor = LSS(LSS_ID);on bus

void setup()
{
mySerial.begin(115200); // Important! //this setis the datastandard ratespeed for thetalking SoftwareSerialto portLSS
  servoSerialmySerial.begin(LSS_BAUDprint("#0D1500\r");   // this is used to clear the serial buffer
  servoSerial.print("#0D1500\r");
  delay(1000);
  LSS::initBus(servoSerial, LSS_BAUD);
  //  reset
  servoSerialmySerial.print(String("#") + LSS_ID_old + String("DEFAULT")+"\r");
  delay(500);
  servoSerialmySerial.print(String("#") + LSS_ID_old + String("CONFIRM")+"\r");
  delay(2000);
}
void loop() {
}

...

TIP: Use the millis() function to find the elapsed time.


Possible Solution:  This is one solution , but it could use some improvement: It needs a denounce and a pause without delay function to avoid blocking your code. This solution uses an older arduino library that might need to be updated.

Code Block
languagec#
#include <LSS.h>
#include <SoftwareSerial.h>
SoftwareSerial servoSerial(8, 9);

// ID set to default LSS ID = 0
#define LSS_ID    (0)
#define LSS_BAUD  (LSS_DefaultBaud)

// Create one LSS object
LSS myLSS = LSS(LSS_ID);
int ServoPosition = 0;
bool counting = true;
int resetTime = 0;
int lastMovement;

void setup() {
  servoSerial.begin(LSS_BAUD);
  // Initialize the LSS bus
  LSS::initBus(servoSerial, LSS_BAUD);
  Serial.begin(LSS_BAUD);
  myLSS.move(0);
  // allow time to move to 0 position
  delay(3000);
  myLSS.setMaxSpeed(600, LSS_SetConfig);
  //buttons 
  pinMode(11, INPUT);
  pinMode(10, INPUT);
}

void loop() {
 delay(1000);
  if (counting) {
    int seconds = (millis() - resetTime)/1000; // see below for an explanation of resetTime 
    ServoPosition = seconds * 60;  // if we divide 360 by 60 we get 6.0 degrees
    myLSS.move(ServoPosition); // move servo to position
    Serial.println(seconds);
    lastMovement = millis();
  } else {
    resetTime = millis() - lastMovement; // this helps us return to the last position of the clock movement
  }
  // buttons 
  if (digitalRead(10) == HIGH) {
      // stop or start
     counting = !counting;
     Serial.println("Start/Stop");
     // this could be improved on with a debounce!
  }
   if (digitalRead(11) == HIGH) {
    // reset
      Serial.println("reset");
      myLSS.move(0);
      delay(2000);
      resetTime = millis();  // we use this to restart our counter from 0 
  }
}

...