Understanding electric motors and motor drivers

Even though there is a large variety of actuators you could choose from to power your robot (who would not want to build a rocket-powered robot at some point..?), by far the most common and versatile actuator type for DIY robots is the electric motor. This is why we will focus this chapter exclusively on electric motors. This leaves a lot to cover still since there are several different kinds of distinctly different electric motors that are useful for Arduino projects, all with their unique strengths and weaknesses. By the end of this chapter, you will understand what kinds of electric motor types you can choose from and when to use which.

Fundamentally, all electric motors that are relevant to DIY robotics work the same way. They contain electromagnets (copper coils or windings) that create a magnetic field when electric current flows through them and permanent magnets that are pushed around by this field. The motors are constructed...