USB Controlled Servo that can push a button

snedie

snedie

snedie

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Looking to solve a problem in which I need to press a (possibly multiple) buttons remotely, I plan to do this using a USB controlled servo of some sort that operates a switch. The device itself will be connected to an always on pc via USB which can be accessed remotely.

Can anyone recommend a way to do this, I know there are some electronics enthusiasts on here :)
 
Pho said:
Saw control any circuit with a TV remote (and an Arduino) on Lifehacker earlier which you may be able to modify to suit your needs. This looks to be wired straight into the circuit rather than needing a servo (so probably more reliable).

Rather than an always on PC how about a Raspberry-PI or something?

What are you trying to press anyway?
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We happen to have a few machines located on the premised which are never turned off (one is a bitcoin controller :D) so it just saves on cost really.

The solution has to be completely over USB with no direct human interaction, IE I must be able to teamviewer into a machine and send a command to a control circuit of some sort. The device(s) will be used to toggle one or two power switches inside of this rack mount:



The power switches are will be used to remotely turn our Cisco Labs on and off as required.
 
godinman said:
Maybe you should get someone who knows what they're doing to have a look?

If your first thought it to make a mechanical finger to push a button to turn something off and on, then I really don't think you're cut out for this kind of thing.
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No offence but if you had any idea how expensive the true solutions for this setup were you too would be looking at fingers pushing buttons. Just to turn off two of the 18 devices would cost around £350, cheaper for larger setups been in the range of £1400 for all 18.

Why would we spend that when we can operate a perfectly safe switch?
 
Pho said:
Are you sure you have enough spare network ports there? :p.

The solutions by Hades/York would be the best and most reliable way I imagine (do they do a UK plug version though?).

If you really want to go for a hacky solution then you could still use infra-red. This may work:

  1. Buy infra-red powered plugs, e.g. these for £4.35 - you can program each plug with your own infra-red command from an existing remote or whatever.
    I actually use a free LIME infrared plug I got sent to turn a powerstrip with my TV/AV receiver etc on from my Harmony remote, works very well :).
  2. Buy a USB Infra-red Toy v2 for £11.83 from here
  3. Use WinLIRC to send the IR commands to the infra-red plug you want to power on/off (you can learn the correct IR code from the remote you used earlier)
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Dude you're a genius, total cost would be under £30 for the entire rack with gang sockets. I'm going to buy one of the sockets and controllers and see how that works out. Thanks for the info mate :)
 
visibleman said:
Have a look at Tripplite, Cyber Power or Aten (loads more companies do them); remote PDU's are a lot lot cheaper than the figures you're quoting - Aten's and Cyber Power's 20 port PDU's are typically around £450-500 and you can pick them up a bit cheaper than that if you shop around.

Can also pick up bargains on the auction site.

Either way, a remote PDU is the proper and most reliable way of doing it. However if you want to bodge it then look at using a RPi coupled with a servo driver.
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The IR controlled power terminals look to be a very safe method to accomplish this, reliability is yet to be determined. Even at half the price I quoted £450-£500 is still a lot of money to lay out for a lab environment. If we where designing this for a production project obviously the cost would have to be budgeted for.
 
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