How to Control Your Linear Actuator Using Light Sensor

In this Simple tutorial, you will learn how to control the linear actuator using the Light sensor module, Arduino and L298N DC motor driver.

Watch the video!

1. Arduino UNO (Or any other Arduino)
2. Linear Actuator
3. LN298N DC Motor Driver
4. Light sensor module
5. Jumper wires
6. Power Supply
7. Visuino program: Download Visuino

1. Connect Power supply (batteries) pin (gnd) to motor driver controler pin (gnd)
2. Connect Power supply (batteries) pin (+) to motor driver controler pin (+)
3. Connect Power supply (batteries) pin (+) to Arduino pin (VIN)
4. Connect GND from Arduino to motor driver controler pin (gnd)
5. Connect digital pin(6) from Arduino to motor driver pin (IN1)
6. Connect digital pin(8) from Arduino to motor driver pin (IN2)
7. Connect Linear Actuator to the motor driver as you can see on the schematic
8. Connect Light Sensor module pin [DO] to arduino digital pin [3]
9. Connect Light Sensor module pin [VCC] to the Arduino pin [5V]
10. Connect Light Sensor module pin [GND] to the Arduino pin [GND]

Start Visuino as shown in the first picture Click on the "Tools" button on the Arduino component (Picture 1) in Visuino When the dialog appears, select "Arduino UNO" as shown on Picture 2

1. Add "Speed and Direction To Speed" component
2. Add "Dual DC Motor Driver Digital and PWM Pins Bridge (L9110S, L298N)" component
3. Select "SpeedAndDirectionToSpeed1" and in the properties window set "Initial Speed" to 1 or any other speed value that you like

1. Connect Arduino digital pin [3] to "SpeedAndDirectionToSpeed1" pin [Reverse]
2. Connect "SpeedAndDirectionToSpeed1" pin [Out] to "DualMotorDriver1" > "Motors [0]" > pin [In]
3. Connect "DualMotorDriver1" > Motors [0] Pin [Direction]" to Arduino digital pin[8]
4. Connect "DualMotorDriver1" > Motors [0] Pin [Speed]" to Arduino digital pin Analog PWM[6]

In Visuino, at the bottom click on the "Build" Tab, make sure the correct port is selected, then click on the "Compile/Build and Upload" button.

If you power the Arduino module the Linear Actuator will start to move in one direction and if you cover the light sensor module it will reverse.

Congratulations! You have completed your project with Visuino. Also attached is the Visuino project, that I created for this Instructable, you can download it here and open it in Visuino: https://www.visuino.eu