Playstation
Ser vomotor
Controller
Interface
As of 2009, the PS2 has sold over 140 million units. With the PS2 still in
production and so many controllers available, it’s a natural to apply
this controller for more than games. This makes it an excellent
controller for servomotors and robotics.
The PS2 SMC (Servo Motor Controller) interface allows you to control six
hobby servomotors using the Playstation controller (also called the Dual
Shock 2 [DS2]). Both corded and cordless versions are supported. Therefore,
the wireless SMC can be used for remote control of your moving platform.
by John Iovine
The PS2’s analog sticks give precise servomotor movements with speed control. Rumble feedback occurs when the servomotor is instructed to
move out of range (stalling).
Sony has not released the communication
protocol of its PlayStation controller, however,
there are a few Internet sites that have teased
out enough of the details for us to work with.
The technical specifications I used were from:
FIGURE 1. The PS2 interface controller.
• mikroElektronika
www.mikroe.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=8792
• Nuts & Volts September ‘03 column
by Jon Williams
• Curious Inventor
http://store.curiousinventor.com/guides/PS2
I will not repeat the communication protocol
information available on these sites, except to discuss how
it relates to our current project. If you want to dig deeper
into the PlayStation controllers communication, you can use
those references cited.
SERVO 02.2011 57
