Getting the tail to wag is super simple... and can be done with the example sketches that ship with the Arduino IDE.
File > Examples > Servo > Sweep
// Sweep
// by BARRAGAN <http://barraganstudio.com>
// This example code is in the public domain.
#include <Servo.h>
Servo myservo; // create servo object to control a servo
// a maximum of eight servo objects can be created
int pos = 0; // variable to store the servo position
void setup()
{
myservo.attach(9); // attaches the servo on pin 9 to the servo object
}
void loop()
{
for(pos = 0; pos < 180; pos += 1) // goes from 0 degrees to 180 degrees
{ // in steps of 1 degree
myservo.write(pos); // tell servo to go to position in variable 'pos'
delay(15); // waits 15ms for the servo to reach the position
}
for(pos = 180; pos>=1; pos-=1) // goes from 180 degrees to 0 degrees
{
myservo.write(pos); // tell servo to go to position in variable 'pos'
delay(15); // waits 15ms for the servo to reach the position
}
}
This works for Arduino UNO... or you can go less expensive with Trinket (requires adjusting the code for SoftServo library) or Pro Trinket (which is plug&play)
See!
Here's what the automatic slack adjustment looks like.
The real question now is... what are you going to use your animatronic tail for / in?
