Useless Box with Arduino

What is a Useless Box?

It’s an extremely entertaining and fun Arduino project that I would argue is far from useless.

The major uses of a Useless Box:

  1. Practice your Arduino programming skills
  2. Get familiar with controlling servos via Arduino code
  3. A conversation piece that can entertain an investment banker and a 5 year old equally long

Jeremy Hemming, a member of Programming Electronics Academy, recently built his version using an Arduino UNO.  Jeremy has included a video demonstration, his code, and a schematic.

Why Did you build a Useless Box with Arduino?

My wife asked me to remake a project I made a while ago. Basically you flick a switch and the box lid opens and an arm comes out and turns the switch off.

It’s quite useless but entertaining all the same. It uses an Arduino Uno R3 and 2 servo motors.

Thanks to the Programming Electronics Academy. I have learned so much from them. – Jeremy Hemming

Further Plans?

I am currently working on a new board for the box including a variable power supply so I can get the voltage just right. When using an LM7805 voltage regulator I could not get any more than 4.8 volts due to the voltage drop from the diodes.

The new one will be based on an LM317T variable voltage regulator It would output around 10.5 volts max from my 12v input. I can tune it to exactly 5 volts. It’s built with a power transistor to give up to 3 amps current which is double what I need.

Useless Box Arduino Code:

Circuit Diagram for Arduino UNO:

electrical schematic showing Arduino with servos, LEDs, and wires for useless box project

Image made with Fritzing.

About Jeremy:

Jeremy has been a long time member of Programming Electronics Academy and an active contributor on the PEA forum.  He’s been into electronics since a boy (his father having taught him how to solder at a young age).

In addition to his useless box project, he is always exploring different things with Arduino and electronics, like using using Arduino to charge and monitor capacitors.

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expected declaration before ‘}’ token [SOLVED]

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Compilation error: expected ‘;’ before [SOLVED]

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6 Comments

  1. Stephen Pullman on February 26, 2021 at 4:01 pm

    Great job Jeremy!
    I love this.
    It reminds me of the piggy bank “hand” that comes out to snatch the coin (=:
    I and my grand kids are learning Arduino programming.
    This looks like a great project for us to work on together.
    Thanks!!

  2. Ted Thisius on February 26, 2021 at 4:30 pm

    Nice work. A young friend of mine made something like this for his niece. When his box opens the arm that comes out is made to look like a clown. The Clowns hand then reaches out and shuts off the switch. He included some movement of the clown by using a second servo. That means that the clown performs one of several “routines” it picks at random before it reaches down to shut off the switch and then recede back into the box.

    I’ve been messing with an ESP-32 Dev board which has BLE capability to communicate with my iPhone, iPad or Android Tablet. I use the RemoteXY website to create a graphical custom app for each situation. The website creates a basic sketch which contains the buttons, sliders, LEDs etc that I have specified for the interface. I download the sketch and complete the Setup and Loop sections adding in my own logic as far as input from the buttons or sliders and output . The completed sketch is complied and loaded on the Arduino or ESP. A free basic app is installed on the phone. When the app is launched it attempts to communicate with the board. If it is able,, the board transmits the screen layout I created back to my phone. Another phone or tablet can use the device as long as it has the free basic app. They do require a subscription for more advanced apps. It works very well.

  3. Kris Falkowski on February 27, 2021 at 12:29 am

    Yes, entertaining it is.
    In your new version there might be a power dissipation issue. 12V-5V=7V. If you multiply it by 3Amps that will be 21 Watts of power dissipated somewhere (it’s either i your voltage regulator or power transistor).
    There are cheap switching regulators everywhere that can do the job instead of oldies like 317 or pwr transistor 3055. They are between 85 and 98% efficient (just approximate numbers, don’t remember the more accurate numbers). Almost no power dissipation in these.

  4. Nigel Moody on March 1, 2021 at 2:08 pm

    I love simple projects.
    They can be so much fun.
    Keep up the good work.

  5. Morgan Chance on May 9, 2021 at 2:10 am

    Hello,
    This looks like a fun project. Bit of a newbie here though… Can anyone give me the specs for the capacitors in the diagram? It looks like there are two types.
    Thanks,
    Morgan

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