You've checked the servo motor controller and the servos; you'll now connect the motor controller up to the Galileo and make sure you can control the servos from it.
Let's now talk to the motor controller. Here are the steps:
- Connect Galileo to the motor controller by connecting a mini USB-to-mini USB cable. Connect the cable to the USB host connection on the Galileo, like this:
- Download the Linux code from Pololu at www.pololu.com/docs/0J40/3.b. Perhaps the best way is to log onto your Galileo, then type wget http://www.pololu.com/file/download/maestro-linux-100507.tar.gz?file_id=0J315.
- Then, move the file using this command:
mv maestro-linux-100507.tar.gz?file_id=0J315 maestro-linux-100507.tar.gz - Unpack the file by typing
tar –xzfv maestro_linux_011507.tar.gz. This will create a directory calledmaestro_linux. Go to that directory by typingcd maestro_linuxand then typels, you should see something like this:
The document README.txt will give you explicit instructions on how to install the software. Unfortunately, you can't run MaestroControlCenter on your Galileo, your version of windows doesn't support the graphics, but you can control your servos using the UscCmd command line application. First type./UscCmd --list and you should see the following:
The unit sees your servo controller. If you just type mono ./UscCmd, you can see all the commands you can send to your controller:
Notice you can send a servo a specific target angle, although the target is not in angle values so it makes it a bit difficult to know where you are sending your servo. With a servo and battery connected to the servo controller, try typing ./UscCmd --servo 0, 10. The servo will move to its full angle position. Type ./UscCmd – servo 0, 0 and it will stop the servo from trying to move. In the next section, you'll write some python code that will translate your angles to the commands that the servo controller will want to see to move it to specific angle locations. If you are struggling with the USB connection, see http://www.linux-usb.org/FAQ.html for more information.