gEDA-user: OT - Joystick control of stepper or servo motors

["David C. Kerber" <dkerber@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi, electronics gurus!  I'm looking for suggestions on the best inexpensive way to use a USB game joystick to control stepper or servo motors.  

The application is using a joystick to drive the the platform positioning knobs on a microscope, to help me keep the subjects in the field of view, while I'm photographing them.  I'll also be adding the ability to trigger the camera shutter with the joy stick, but I don't anticipate any trouble with that part; it's the motion control side that I have no experience with.

Any suggestions?  Are steppers or servos better for this use?  What should I use to control them, Arduino or a generic motor control circuit?

For background, I'm working as a programmer now, so I can handle the programming.  My degree is in EE, but I haven't used it in ~20 years, so I'm kind of rusty on the electronics side but I'm sure it will come back.

Dave


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