Different Methods to Creating Animated Eyes with Arduino and OLED Displays
Are you interested in making your own robots come to life with expressive eye animations? If you’ve been scouring the internet for ways to do this using Arduino and OLED displays but feel overwhelmed by all the information out there, don’t worry! We’ve got you covered with a simple guide (Arduino OLED Eyes) to get you started.
What You’ll Need
To begin, gather these basic components:
- Arduino UNO
- OLED Display (the small, square kind)
- Breadboard
- Jumper Wires (the male-to-male kind)
- USB Cable for Programming
Setting Up the Circuit
First things first, let’s connect the OLED display to the Arduino UNO. We’ll use a special way of talking between them called the I2C protocol. This just means we’ll connect some wires between the Arduino and the display. Also, remember that the OLED display with Arduino needs a special amount of power, so we’ll connect it to a specific spot on the Arduino.
Exploring Different Eye Animations
Now comes the fun part — making the eyes move! We’ve found five different ways people have done this, and each has its own special features.
Option 1: Eye Animation by Intellar
Introducing a repertoire of eye expressions including Normal, Sleep, and Smile, Intellar’s approach emphasizes simplicity and ease of use. With functions for adjusting eye position and size, it’s ideal for projects requiring basic yet effective animations.
Option 2: Animated Eye by SpiderMaf
SpiderMaf’s creation adds a human touch with customizable eye size and position. Compact and efficient, this method employs circles and pupils for precise eye movements, catering to projects seeking a more lifelike appearance.
Option 3: Akno by AbdulsalamAbbod
AbdulsalamAbbod’s Akno offers a wide range of expressions, making it perfect for robotic projects. While lacking human-like characteristics, its versatility across various display types makes it a lightweight yet functional choice for hobbyist robots.
Option 4: OLED Moving Eyes by Vinny
Vinny’s approach utilizes bitmap images for eye animations, enabling limitless customization. While offering extensive expression sets, memory consumption poses a challenge, restricting its compatibility with Arduino UNO due to space constraints.
Option 5: Robotic Eye Animations by Picaio
Picaio’s method stands out with realistic eye movements and a diverse range of expressions. By optimizing bitmap usage, it achieves versatility without compromising on memory. Although slightly complex, it caters to projects demanding nuanced animations.
Now that you know the basics of creating animated eyes with Arduino and OLED displays, it’s time to start experimenting! Whether you’re building a simple robot or a complex machine, adding expressive eyes will bring your creation to life. So, grab your Arduino and get ready to make some eyes that sparkle with personality!
