Servo (PWM) Expansion for Omega2 and Omega2 Plus

The Servo Expansion adds 16 PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) outputs to your Omega. Get started with your project quickly by connecting standard servos directly to the onboard 3-pin connectors! Use this for anything with moving parts, such as robotics or driving DC motors. You can also make a light show with LEDs by controlling their brightness!

It has a built-in oscillator that is used to generate PWM signals with frequencies in the range of 24 Hz to 1526 Hz. The generated PWM signals are free running, so once you set the desired duty cycle of a channel, the signal will be continuously generated without any further commands. Each of the PWM channels are programmed independently to desired duty cycles or all at once to the same duty cycle. A single command can disable the oscillator’s output to quickly disable all of the PWM outputs at once.

Power the Servo Expansion by plugging it into a Dock (sold separately) that will supply 5V to the 16 PWM channels, which should be enough juice for a bunch of LEDs or a few servos under a light load. If you’re using more than 2 servos or a few really powerful ones, we’ve included a DC barrel jack adapter on the Expansion to accept a separate power supply for more juice.  The PWM signal will be stepped up to the voltage coming in from the barrel jack. The Omega and Dock’s 5V line is isolated from the DC barrel jack for protection, so you’ll still have to provide power to your Omega.

Note: This Expansion requires a Dock with an Expansion Header to use, such as the Expansion Dock, Power Dock, or Arduino Dock R2. On the Arduino Dock, the barrel jack’s bottom tabs have been found to make contact with the metal case of the Omega2 and Omega2+ creating a short circuit. We recommend inserting a thin plastic layer between the top of the Omega and the bottom of the PWM Expansion to break this short. If the DC connector is shorted, it may cause damage to any components connected to the PWM Expansion.

Technical Details

• Number of Channels: 16
• PWM Signal resolution: 12-bits resulting in a 4.9us resolution at 50Hz
• Minimum PWM Signal Frequency: 24 Hz
• Maximum PWM Signal Frequency: 1526 Hz