Published February 13, 2025

Running a Stepper Motor via Bluetooth

Control a stepper motor effortlessly with your smartphone using Bluetooth. This project showcases real-time, wireless motor control.

BeginnerFull instructions provided271

Things used in this project

Hardware components

Texas Instruments Dual H-Bridge motor drivers L293D

Arduino UNO

Digilent Stepper Motor

Arduino UNO

Hand tools and fabrication machines

Arduino Uno

stepper motor

power supply

Smartphone

Story

This project enables wireless control of a stepper motor using a Bluetooth connection. By utilizing an Arduino board paired with an Adafruit Motor Shield and a Bluetooth module, you can send commands from a smartphone app to precisely control the movement of the stepper motor. It's a versatile setup that demonstrates how modern technology can simplify motor control for various applications.

The motivation behind creating this project stemmed from a desire to explore the intersection of hardware and software, and to solve real-world problems with innovative solutions. Wireless control of stepper motors has numerous applications, from robotics and automation to DIY projects and educational demonstrations. By developing this project, we aimed to create a user-friendly and efficient method for controlling motors remotely, showcasing the potential of Bluetooth technology in modern engineering.

The system operates by receiving commands from a smartphone app through a Bluetooth connection.

The key components include:

Arduino Board: Acts as the brain of the operation, processing incoming commands and controlling the motor.
Adafruit Motor Shield( L293D): Facilitates the connection and control of the stepper motor.
Bluetooth Module: Establishes a wireless link between the smartphone and the Arduino board.
Power supply:2 pairs of 1.5V batteries

When a command is sent from the smartphone app, the Bluetooth module receives it and relays it to the Arduino board. The Arduino then processes the command and instructs the Adafruit Motor Shield to drive the stepper motor accordingly. This setup allows for precise and responsive control, enabling the motor to perform complex movements based on user input.

By integrating these components, the project provides a practical and innovative solution for remote motor control, highlighting the power of Bluetooth technology in enhancing everyday applications.

Code

Code ++

#include <AFMotor.h> // Adafruit Motor Shield library

#define STEP_PIN 2 // Step pin connected to L293D shield input 1
#define DIR_PIN 3  // Direction pin connected to L293 shield input 2

AF_Stepper motor(200, 1);

void setup() {
  Serial.begin(9600);  // Initialize the hardware serial communication
  motor.setSpeed(100);  // Set the speed of the stepper motor (0-255)
}

void loop() {
  if (Serial.available()) {
    char receivedChar = Serial.read(); // Read the incoming data from the Bluetooth module
    // Perform actions based on the received data
    if (receivedChar == '7') {
      motor.step(200, FORWARD, SINGLE); // Rotate the stepper motor 200 steps in one direction
    }
  }
}