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This article appeared in Make: Vol. 96. Subscribe to Make: for the latest articles.
Servomotors are indispensable in the world of robotics, R/C model making, and automation, because of their ability to execute precise rotary movements. Traditionally they’re controlled via pulse-width modulation (PWM) — a method that works well in many cases, but reaches its limits in more complex projects. That’s where serial servos come into play.
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at these special servos. Serial servos are also called smart servos — and indeed, they are equipped with their own microcontroller. They’re controlled by digital packets, sent by serial protocols like UART and RS-485, but they also possess other interesting features that make them particularly versatile.
Serial Servos