Add Actuator

Connect motors, servos, and other actuators to your OctoMY™ Agent.

Security Consideration

Always test new actuators at low power settings first. A misconfigured motor can move unexpectedly at full speed - secure the robot or detach moving parts until you've verified the configuration is correct.

Actuator types

OctoMY™ supports various actuator types:

Prerequisites

• Agent running with ArduMY controller connected
• Controller configured (see Configure Controller)
• Actuator hardware and wiring ready

Step 1: Open hardware configuration

On the Agent:

1. Open ☰ Menu → Settings
2. Go to Hardware → Actuators
3. Tap [Add Actuator]

Step 2: Select actuator type

Choose the type of actuator you're adding:

Step 3: Configure pin assignment

Select which controller pin the actuator is connected to:

Pin requirements by type

Step 4: Set physical properties

Configure the actuator's physical characteristics:

For servo

For DC motor

Step 5: Test the actuator

Before saving, test the actuator:

Move the slider or tap the buttons to test movement.

Step 6: Assign to control group

Organize actuators into logical groups for control:

Common actuator setups

Differential drive robot

Two DC motors for tank-style steering:

Robot arm

Multiple servos for articulated arm:

Pan-tilt camera

Two servos for camera aiming:

Wiring diagrams

Servo wiring

DC motor with L298N

Troubleshooting

Servo not moving

1. Check power - Servos need 5-6V, high current
2. Check signal pin - Must be PWM capable
3. Check PWM timing - Adjust min/max pulse width
4. Test with different servo - Rule out hardware fault

Motor runs wrong direction

1. Swap direction pins - Exchange Pin A and Pin B
2. Use "Invert" option - Toggle in configuration
3. Check wiring - Motor leads may be swapped

Actuator jitters

1. Power issue - Add capacitor, improve power supply
2. Signal noise - Shorter wires, twisted pairs
3. Feedback loop - Reduce update frequency

"Pin already in use" error

1. Check no other actuator uses that pin
2. Release pin from previous configuration
3. Restart Agent after removing old config

Advanced: Direct ArduMY configuration

For programmatic control, actuators are defined in the hardware config:

{
  "actuators": [
    {
      "name": "Right Arm Shoulder",
      "type": "servo",
      "pin": 3,
      "min": 0,
      "max": 180,
      "minPulse": 500,
      "maxPulse": 2500,
      "inverted": true,
      "group": "manipulation"
    }
  ]
}

Location: ~/.local/share/OctoMY™/OctoMY Agent/<personality>/hardware.json