Mini Maestro 18-Channel USB Servo Controller (Assembled)

Overview

The Mini Maestros are the newest of Pololu’s second-generation USB servo controllers, offering more channels and features than the smaller six-channel Micro Maestro. The Mini Maestros are available in three sizes, and they can be purchased fully assembled or as partial kits:

• Mini Maestro 12 — fully assembled

• Mini Maestro 12 — partial kit

• Mini Maestro 18 — fully assembled

• Mini Maestro 18 — partial kit

• Mini Maestro 24 — fully assembled

• Mini Maestro 24 — partial kit

Maestro family of USB servo controllers: Mini 24, Mini 18, Mini 12, and Micro 6.

The Status tab in the Maestro Control Center.

A free configuration and control program is available for Windows and Linux, making it simple to configure and test the device over USB, create sequences of servo movements for animatronics or walking robots, and write, step through, and run scripts stored in the servo controller. The Mini Maestros’ 8 KB of internal script memory allows storage of up to approximately 3000 servo positions that can be automatically played back without any computer or external microcontroller connected.

Because the Mini Maestros’ channels can also be used as general-purpose digital outputs and analog or digital inputs, they provide an easy way to read sensors and control peripherals directly from a PC over USB, and these channels can be used with the scripting system to enable creation of self-contained animatronic displays that respond to external stimuli and trigger additional events beyond just moving servos.

Main Features

• Three control methods: USB, TTL (5 V) serial, and internal scripting
• 0.25 μs output pulse width resolution (corresponds to approximately 0.025° for a typical servo, which is beyond what the servo could resolve)
• Pulse rate configurable from 1 Hz to 333 Hz (2)
• Wide pulse range of 64 μs to 4080 μs (2)
• Individual speed and acceleration control for each channel
• Channels can be optionally configured to go to a specified position or turn off on startup or error
• Alternate channel functions allow the channels to be used as:
• General-purpose digital outputs (0 V or 5 V)
• Analog or digital inputs (channels 0 to 11 can be analog inputs; channels 12+ can be digital inputs)
• One channel can be a PWM output with frequency from 2.93 kHz to 12 MHz and up to 10 bits of resolution
• A simple scripting language lets you program the controller to perform complex actions even after its USB and serial connections are removed
• Comprehensive user’s guide

Micro Maestro 6-channel USB servo controller (fully assembled) controlling three servos.

• Free configuration and control application for Windows and Linux makes it easy to:
• Configure and test your controller
• Create, run, and save sequences of servo movements for animatronics and walking robots
• Write, step through, and run scripts stored in the servo controller
• Two ways to write software to control the Maestro from a PC:

• Virtual COM port makes it easy to send serial commands from any development environment that supports serial communication
• Pololu USB Software Development Kit allows use of more advanced native USB commands and includes example code in C#, Visual Basic .NET, and Visual C++
• TTL serial features:

• Supports 300 bps to 200,000 bps in fixed-baud mode, 300 bps to 115,200 bps in autodetect-baud mode (2)
• Simultaneously supports the Pololu protocol, which gives access to advanced functionality, and the simpler Scott Edwards MiniSSC II protocol (there is no need to configure the device for a particular protocol mode)
• Can be daisy-chained with other Pololu servo and motor controllers using a single serial transmit line
• Chain input allows reception of data from multiple Mini Maestros using a single serial receive line without extra components (does not apply to Micro Maestros)
• Can function as a general-purpose USB-to-TTL serial adapter for projects controlled from a PC
• Our Maestro Arduino library makes it easier to get started controlling a Maestro from an Arduino or compatible boards like our A-Stars
• Board can be powered off of USB or a 5 V to 16 V battery, and it makes the regulated 5 V available to the user
• Upgradable firmware

The Channel Settings tab in the Maestro Control Center.

24-channel Mini Maestro (partial kit version) assembled with colored male header pins.

Application Examples and Videos

• Serial servo controller for multi-servo projects (e.g. robot arms, animatronics, fun-house displays) based on microcontroller boards such as the BASIC Stamp, Orangutan robot controllers, or Arduino platforms
• Computer-based servo control over USB port
• Computer interface for sensors and other electronics:
• Read a gyro or accelerometer from a computer for novel user interfaces
• General I/O expansion for microcontroller projects
• Programmable, self-contained Halloween or Christmas display controller that responds to sensors
• Self-contained servo tester

Micro Maestro as the brains of a tiny hexapod robot.