Computer controlled electric motors

DonQuigleone

As part of a project I'm working on, I'm looking to get an electric motor. I want to be able to control it from a computer (via something like PWM), so I'd like to be able to get a motor that can be directly powered by a PC.

I'm a bit of a noob at this, so I'd appreciate any help.

Sputnik

Don't know if that's something you'd be able to do without some hardware in between.

A five second search threw up something like this:

http://www.pc-control.co.uk/howto_motor.htm


What exactly are you trying to achive?

DonQuigleone

I'm looking to be able to feedback control an electric motor driven propeller. Obviously the easiest way to do this is from a PC.

If there's even a way to brute force it, through some kind of parallel port, that would be great. As long as I can turn it on and off with sufficient speed you can get some sort of Pulse width Modulation system.

Sputnik

No idea if such a thing exists. Easy enough to do with something in between the two but directly? Maybe someone else has some across it.

Spacedog

Get an arduino starter kit and a motor shield. you can control small motors from the USB port as a power source. or use independent of the PC, by running the code on the arduino and powering from a 9V battery.