Mechanical 7-segment display made with micro servos and an Arduino Mega
— February 12th, 2020
Flip displays are an interesting piece of technology, physically moving segments into place that stay put until other information is needed. Michael Klements has been especially fascinated by these devices, and after inspiration from another project, he decided to craft his own.
His version utilizes 14 micro servos to flip segments into a visible position, then rotate them to 90° when no longer needed. This “off” mode displays a slimmer profile, and the sides and back are painted black, making them much less visible.
An Arduino Mega, with 15 possible PWM outputs, is used to control the servos, while a hobby RC-style battery eliminator circuit provides power to the motors.
Be sure to check out the build process and in-action shots below!
February 16th, 2020 at 03:48:09
Brilliant! Thanks for sharing. It makes me feel good knowing there are many smart innovative people out there.
March 18th, 2021 at 08:02:10
Thank you for your sharing! arduino was used when I first started playing competitions in my freshman year. At that time, I didn’t find anything really easy to use when I first arrived at university. It was really easy to write programs. I participated in the robot contest with mega2560 and won a second prize. The development speed of arduino is very fast. During college, if you are not in a related major and want to participate in competitions or do some small things by yourself, arduino is your best choice.
Servo Drive..