Cat laser toy on an Arduino Uno
A KY-008 laser on a pan and tilt pair of servos wanders its dot around the floor for a minute, then rests until the button is pressed. The whole build, an Arduino Uno and 4 more parts, runs here in your browser on the firmware below; open it in the editor to change the wiring or the code and run it again.
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The parts retail for about $36. On Mokxi they're free.
The code
The firmware exactly as the editor opens it. Change a line there and press Run: it compiles in the browser.
// Cat laser toy: a KY-008 laser on a pan and tilt pair of servos.
//
// pin 7 the laser's S (the laser runs from the pin itself)
// pin 9 the pan servo's signal
// pin 10 the tilt servo's signal
// pin 2 the button, to GND (INPUT_PULLUP: pressed reads LOW)
// rails 5 V and ground for the servos and the laser
//
// A round is a minute of the dot wandering around the floor: pick a spot,
// glide to it a degree at a time, pause, pick another. Then the laser goes
// off and the servos rest until the button asks for another round.
//
// The tilt never goes above 60 degrees from straight down, so the dot stays
// on the floor and out of anyone's eyes.
#include <Servo.h>
const int LASER = 7;
const int PAN = 9;
const int TILT = 10;
const int BUTTON = 2;
const unsigned long ROUND_MS = 60000;
const int PAN_MIN = 30, PAN_MAX = 150;
const int TILT_MIN = 100, TILT_MAX = 160;
Servo pan;
Servo tilt;
int panAt = 90;
int tiltAt = 130;
int rounds = 0;
void glideTo(int panTo, int tiltTo) {
while (panAt != panTo || tiltAt != tiltTo) {
if (panAt < panTo) panAt++;
if (panAt > panTo) panAt--;
if (tiltAt < tiltTo) tiltAt++;
if (tiltAt > tiltTo) tiltAt--;
pan.write(panAt);
tilt.write(tiltAt);
delay(15);
}
}
void play() {
rounds++;
Serial.print("round ");
Serial.print(rounds);
Serial.println(": laser on");
digitalWrite(LASER, HIGH);
unsigned long start = millis();
while (millis() - start < ROUND_MS) {
int p = random(PAN_MIN, PAN_MAX + 1);
int t = random(TILT_MIN, TILT_MAX + 1);
Serial.print("dot to ");
Serial.print(p);
Serial.print(", ");
Serial.println(t);
glideTo(p, t);
delay(random(200, 900));
}
digitalWrite(LASER, LOW);
glideTo(90, 130);
Serial.println("resting: press the button to play again");
}
void setup() {
Serial.begin(115200);
Serial.println("Mokxi Arduino Uno: cat laser toy");
pinMode(LASER, OUTPUT);
pinMode(BUTTON, INPUT_PULLUP);
pan.attach(PAN);
tilt.attach(TILT);
pan.write(panAt);
tilt.write(tiltAt);
randomSeed(analogRead(A0));
play();
}
void loop() {
if (digitalRead(BUTTON) == LOW) play();
delay(20);
}
Parts list
6 parts, plus the jumper wires. They retail for about $36; on Mokxi they're free.
- 1 × Arduino Uno R3
- 1 × Half breadboard
- 1 × Laser module, KY-008
- 2 × Hobby servo
- 1 × Pushbutton
How it is wired
6 connections, pin by pin, read from the circuit itself. Each line is one set of pins joined together, by a jumper wire or a breadboard strip.
- Arduino Uno R3 pin 10; Hobby servo (2) pin PWM
- Arduino Uno R3 pin 9; Hobby servo (1) pin PWM
- Arduino Uno R3 pin 7; Laser module, KY-008 pin S
- Arduino Uno R3 pin 2; Pushbutton pin 1a
- Arduino Uno R3 pin 5V; Hobby servo (1) pin VCC; Hobby servo (2) pin VCC
- Ground: Arduino Uno R3 pin GND; Laser module, KY-008 pin GND; Hobby servo (1) pin GND; Hobby servo (2) pin GND; Pushbutton pin 2a
Change it and keep it
Open it in the editor, change the circuit or the code, and keep your version in a free account.