ART
BEAUTY & WELLNESS
CRAFT
CULTURE & HISTORY
ENTERTAINMENT
ENVIRONMENT
FOOD & DRINKS
REVERSE ENGINEERING
SCIENCES
SPORTS
TECHNOLOGY
WEARABLES
Using a Flex Sensor — SIK Circuit 9
Ed

Yenziwe ngu-

Ed

17. uNdasa 2026FI
67
0
0
0
0

Using a Flex Sensor — SIK Circuit 9

Use a flex sensor to control a servo motor. Bend the sensor to move the servo — combining analog input with motor control for gesture-based interaction.

Imiyalelo

1

Parts & Introduction

A flex sensor changes resistance when bent. Combined with the servo from Circuit 8, you can create gesture-based controls — bend the sensor to move the servo. This combines analogRead() with the Servo library.

Parts Needed

  • 1x Arduino Uno + USB cable
  • 1x Breadboard
  • 1x Flex Sensor
  • 1x Servo Motor
  • 1x 10KΩ Resistor
  • 11x Jumper Wires

Materials for this step:

SparkFun Inventors Kit - V3.2SparkFun Inventors Kit - V3.21 ikhithi
Arduino Uno R31 ucezu
Breadboard1 ucezu
Flex SensorFlex Sensor1 ucezu
Servo Motor1 ucezu
10K Ohm Resistor10K Ohm Resistor1 ucezu
Jumper WiresJumper Wires7 izicucu

Tools needed:

Computer with Arduino IDE
2

Hardware Hookup

Wiring Instructions

Flex Sensor
  1. Connect one pin of the flex sensor to 5V.
  2. Connect the other pin to Analog Pin A0.
  3. Connect a 10K resistor from Analog Pin A0 to GND (voltage divider).
Servo
  1. Connect Red wire to 5V.
  2. Connect Black wire to GND.
  3. Connect White wire to Digital Pin 9.

Materials for this step:

Flex SensorFlex Sensor1 ucezu
Servo Motor1 ucezu
10K Ohm Resistor10K Ohm Resistor1 ucezu
Breadboard1 ucezu
Jumper WiresJumper Wires7 izicucu
3

Arduino Code

Open the Arduino IDE and upload the following sketch to your Arduino board.

flex_sensor.inoarduino
/*
SparkFun Inventor's Kit
Example sketch 09 — FLEX SENSOR

Use the flex sensor to change the position of a servo.

Hardware connections:
  Flex sensor: one pin to analog pin 0 (with 10K to GND), other pin to 5V
  Servo: RED to 5V, WHITE to pin 9, BLACK to GND

This code is completely free for any use.
*/

#include <Servo.h>

Servo servo1;

const int flexpin = 0;

void setup()
{
  Serial.begin(9600);
  servo1.attach(9);
}

void loop()
{
  int flexposition;
  int servoposition;

  flexposition = analogRead(flexpin);

  servoposition = map(flexposition, 600, 900, 0, 180);
  servoposition = constrain(servoposition, 0, 180);

  servo1.write(servoposition);

  Serial.print("sensor: ");
  Serial.print(flexposition);
  Serial.print("  servo: ");
  Serial.println(servoposition);

  delay(20);
}

Materials for this step:

Arduino Uno R31 ucezu

Tools needed:

Computer with Arduino IDE
4

Test & Experiment

What You Should See

The servo moves in response to bending the flex sensor. Open the Serial Monitor to see both the raw sensor value and the mapped servo position.

Troubleshooting

  • Servo not moving: Check servo wiring — easy to plug in backwards.
  • Sensor only works one way: The flex sensor bends in one direction. The striped side should face outward on a convex curve.
  • Limited range: Adjust the map() range values (600, 900) to match your sensor's actual readings from the Serial Monitor.

Experiments to Try

  • Build a "robot finger" that mimics your finger bending.
  • Replace the servo with an LED and control brightness by bending.

Izinto

7

Amathuluzi Adingekayo

1
  • 13
    Computer with Arduino IDE
Estimated Total
$163.00

CC0 Isizinda Somphakathi

Le blueprint ikhishwe ngaphansi kwe-CC0. Ukhululekile ukukopisha, ukuguqula, ukusabalalisa, nokusebenzisa ngaphandle kwemvume.

Sekela uMenzi ngokuthenga imikhiqizo nge-Blueprint yabo IKhomishane Yomenzi kumiswe ngabathengisi, noma dala inguqulo entsha yale Blueprint bese uyifaka njengoxhumaniso ku-Blueprint yakho ukuze wabelane ngemali engenayo.

Ingxoxo

(0)

Ngena ukuze ujoyine ingxoxo

Loading comments...