3. Servo motor control with joystick and LED system

This Arduino joystick servo LED control demonstrates how to use analog inputs and LEDs for real-time feedback.

They haven’t joystick in Tinkercad, so I’ve added 2 potentiometers for illustrating the schema, but It’s the same, (VRx → A1, VRy → A2)

Objective:

This project aims to control various analog and digital inputs/outputs through an actuator (the joystick), with visual feedback provided by a set of LEDs.
It demonstrates how to interpret analog signals to control a servo motor and reflect system states in real time.

The LED system complements this interaction:

🔴 Red: indicates that the servo is idle

🟢 Green: blinks when the servo is moving (X axis)

🟡 Yellow: blinks only when the joystick is moved along the Y axis

Components used:

• 1x Arduino UNO
• 3x Led (different colors)
• 1x Joystick (or 2x Potentiometers)
• 1x SG90 servo motor
• 3x 220Ω Resistors
• Jumper wires, breadboard
• 1x Screwdriver for screw of the servomotor

How it works:

1. The X-axis potentiometer (simulating VRx) controls the servo position via analog input on A2.
2. When the position changes, the green LED blinks and the red LED turns off.
3. When there’s no movement, the red LED stays on, and the green LED stays off.
4. The Y-axis potentiometer (simulating VRy, connected to A1) is monitored separately. If movement is detected, the yellow LED blinks during activity.

Code and setup:

• The servo_led_joysticks.ino file is fully commented and easy to follow.
• Uses analog input from a joystick (VRx → A1, VRy → A2) to control logic and servo position.
• A standard Servo library is used for smooth motor control.
• Visual feedback is handled using 3 LEDs (idle, servo movement, and Y-axis activity).
• Movement detection uses analog thresholds and angle comparison logic.
• External power supply is recommended for the servo to avoid instability !!

What I learned

• How to use analog inputs to control both logic and actuators.
• The importance of dead zones when working with joysticks.
• How to implement real-time feedback through visual indicators.
• How to simulate unavailable components (like a joystick) effectively.

💾 Download the Arduino sketch → servo_led_joystick.ino

You can also check out my other Arduino project using a PIR sensor →Motion-Activated Stopwatch with HC-SR501 and 5641AS 4-Digit Display