Hi There!
I’m new to this forum. My name is Pim, from the Netherlands, and just started with a nice project.
For this project I want to use the new Servo2040 from pimoroni. However, I need to add Wifi to this board to get Json data from an API and use this data to rotate servo motors.
Since I just started programming, in Thonny, I don’t have a lot of knowledge about this case. I was wondering if anyone could advice me a wifi add on for the Servo2040? And maybe there is an example I can use to practise. I’ve searched for this but could not find anything unfortunately (maybe I don’t use the right search tags).
My first step is to connect to Wifi and request the data from the API.
The next step is to structure this data in the right way so I can run a calculation.
After that I will make the servo’s rotate the right amount of degrees according to the calculation.
I really hope someone has nice info for me.
Kind regards!
Pim
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I have the same problem. I’m tempted to add a Raspberry Pi Zero W to the project and communicate via USB serial with the servo controller. Thonny also runs on the Raspberry. Right now, I have my Ubuntu PC connected to the board in much the same way.
Same thing but different. I’m wishing there was an Interstate 75 WIFI?
Or, like you two, an easy way to add WIFI to an RP2040 board.
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oh don’t get me wrong, i’d love to see a Servo 2040 with WiFi included, but I think the chances that Pimoroni will build one are quite low. Unfortunately, I don’t see many people using the board although I think it’s the perfect (in fact: the only) Microphython operated servo controller. I’d also love to see on that can handle 24 servos, while we’re at it. I’m totally fed up with the old servo controllers that need compilation, have some nasty Win98 style servo controller software on the PC side or run BASIC etc.
Firstly I’ll caveat this by saying I don’t have nor have I used the Servo 2040, so what I’m saying may be nonsense, but it looks from the schematic at https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0174/1800/files/servo2040_schematic.pdf?v=1648817752 that the servo pin headers are GPIO pins broken out and arranged nicely for connecting servos to.
I’d imagine you could use any of the UART pins (eg the default UART0 GP0 and GP1) and a serial connection to a cheap ESP01 module with its standard AT firmware to get wireless network connectivity - I’ve done that on normal Pico boards before the Pico W was a thing. There are plenty examples of doing this on t’internet eg https://www.instructables.com/Webserver-Using-Pi-Pico-and-ESP01/
Doing this would obviously mean you’d lose a couple of the servo connections, but honestly who needs 18 servos anyway ;)
Or you could get an I2C-UART module (there are a few around that aren’t expensive) and connect that to the “BG” connectors on the board and use that to connect to the ESP.
David