Need More Space !!!!
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Hello fellow stampers!!
I am trying to build a Infrared sensor that will be used with my
stamp. I am using a high output IR-LED and a phototransistor, but I
have only been able to make it work with a distance of about six
inches apart from each other. I need to extend the distance to about
five to six feet and be as econimical as possible. I am open to any
suggestions. The sensor does not need a frequency circuit, I simply
want to have a continual beam that the phototransistor can pick up
and react to a break in the beam.
I will appreciate any and all feedback from you.
Thank you,
Frank G.
I am trying to build a Infrared sensor that will be used with my
stamp. I am using a high output IR-LED and a phototransistor, but I
have only been able to make it work with a distance of about six
inches apart from each other. I need to extend the distance to about
five to six feet and be as econimical as possible. I am open to any
suggestions. The sensor does not need a frequency circuit, I simply
want to have a continual beam that the phototransistor can pick up
and react to a break in the beam.
I will appreciate any and all feedback from you.
Thank you,
Frank G.
Comments
Have you tried lenses? You can get great improvement unless the tx/rx are
already well-focused. Cheap reading magnifiers may work.
Ray McArthur
Original Message
From: Dr. Frankenstein <fwankg@y...>
To: <basicstamps@egroups.com>
Sent: Thursday, August 03, 2000 11:54 PM
Subject: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] Need More Space !!!!
> Hello fellow stampers!!
>
> I am trying to build a Infrared sensor that will be used with my
> stamp. I am using a high output IR-LED and a phototransistor, but I
> have only been able to make it work with a distance of about six
> inches apart from each other. I need to extend the distance to about
> five to six feet and be as econimical as possible. I am open to any
> suggestions. The sensor does not need a frequency circuit, I simply
> want to have a continual beam that the phototransistor can pick up
> and react to a break in the beam.
> I will appreciate any and all feedback from you.
the beam. Using a 555 time with about a 5% duty cycle you can pulse
far higher current through it as long as the average current does not
exceed the max (usually around 100mA for IR). At 5% you can push
almost 500mA to make it 'brighter'.
On the stamp side, you could either use a filter on the input from
the detector or use software to detect the pulse.
I'm not sure much further this will get you.
Another option is to use an IR pickup from Radio shack. Pulsing the
beam at a high frequency (see specs for the pick-up) the pickup will
output 5V when the beam is detected. These are used in your VCR,TV,
etc. In labs at SIU we've gone a good 30 feet transmitting data in
this fashion.
-Martin Hebel
http://www.siu.edu/~imsasa/elm
http://www.selmaware.com
-- In basicstamps@egroups.com, "Dr. Frankenstein" <fwankg@y...> wrote:
> Hello fellow stampers!!
>
> I am trying to build a Infrared sensor that will be used with my
> stamp. I am using a high output IR-LED and a phototransistor, but
I
> have only been able to make it work with a distance of about six
> inches apart from each other. I need to extend the distance to
about
> five to six feet and be as econimical as possible. I am open to
any
> suggestions. The sensor does not need a frequency circuit, I
simply
> want to have a continual beam that the phototransistor can pick up
> and react to a break in the beam.
> I will appreciate any and all feedback from you.
>
> Thank you,
>
> Frank G.
with softtware to balance for ambient light (on another pin).
--- In basicstamps@egroups.com, "Dr. Frankenstein" <fwankg@y...>
wrote:
> Hello fellow stampers!!
>
> I am trying to build a Infrared sensor that will be used with my
> stamp. I am using a high output IR-LED and a phototransistor, but
I
> have only been able to make it work with a distance of about six
> inches apart from each other. I need to extend the distance to
about
> five to six feet and be as econimical as possible. I am open to
any
> suggestions. The sensor does not need a frequency circuit, I
simply
> want to have a continual beam that the phototransistor can pick up
> and react to a break in the beam.
> I will appreciate any and all feedback from you.
>
> Thank you,
>
> Frank G.
foot circle at that distance I started with a red led Key chain light
and used a magnifying glass I was able to see the red LED light at 75
+ feet. You need to play with the distance between the light and the
lens, I had a camera that I used to focus the IR beam and I have also
read that a viedo camera is able to see IR.
I ended up going to laser's with unknown distance limits ??
good luck
rjmca wrote:
>
> Frank:
> Have you tried lenses? You can get great improvement unless the tx/rx are
> already well-focused. Cheap reading magnifiers may work.
>
> Ray McArthur
>
>
Original Message
> From: Dr. Frankenstein <fwankg@y...>
> To: <basicstamps@egroups.com>
> Sent: Thursday, August 03, 2000 11:54 PM
> Subject: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] Need More Space !!!!
>
> > Hello fellow stampers!!
> >
> > I am trying to build a Infrared sensor that will be used with my
> > stamp. I am using a high output IR-LED and a phototransistor, but I
> > have only been able to make it work with a distance of about six
> > inches apart from each other. I need to extend the distance to about
> > five to six feet and be as econimical as possible. I am open to any
> > suggestions. The sensor does not need a frequency circuit, I simply
> > want to have a continual beam that the phototransistor can pick up
> > and react to a break in the beam.
> > I will appreciate any and all feedback from you.
> I have had IR. led's working at 30 feet using lenses. I had a three
> foot circle at that distance I started with a red led Key chain
light
> and used a magnifying glass I was able to see the red LED light at
75
> + feet. You need to play with the distance between the light and the
> lens, I had a camera that I used to focus the IR beam and I have
also
> read that a viedo camera is able to see IR.
>
> I ended up going to laser's with unknown distance limits ??
>
> good luck
>
> rjmca wrote:
> >
> > Frank:
> > Have you tried lenses? You can get great improvement unless the
tx/rx are
> > already well-focused. Cheap reading magnifiers may work.
> >
> > Ray McArthur
> >
> >
Original Message
> > From: Dr. Frankenstein <fwankg@y...>
> > To: <basicstamps@egroups.com>
> > Sent: Thursday, August 03, 2000 11:54 PM
> > Subject: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] Need More Space !!!!
> >
> > > Hello fellow stampers!!
> > >
> > > I am trying to build a Infrared sensor that will be used with my
> > > stamp. I am using a high output IR-LED and a phototransistor,
but I
> > > have only been able to make it work with a distance of about six
> > > inches apart from each other. I need to extend the distance to
about
> > > five to six feet and be as econimical as possible. I am open
to any
> > > suggestions. The sensor does not need a frequency circuit, I
simply
> > > want to have a continual beam that the phototransistor can pick
up
> > > and react to a break in the beam.
> > > I will appreciate any and all feedback from you.
I want to thank all of you for the very informative feedback that I
received. I want to eventually build a project for Halloween. I
want to position a set of sensors(about 8-10) along a side walk. I
want to build a skeleton that will move its head with the stamp and a
servo. The idea is to have the skeleton move as if it were looking
straight at the trick-or-treaters as they walk along the side walk.
If you all have any other ideas for me I would appreciate it.
Thanks again for all the info.
Frank G.
> > > > Hello fellow stampers!!
Hi Frank -
> > > >
> > > > I am trying to build a Infrared sensor that will be used with my
> > > > stamp. I am using a high output IR-LED and a phototransistor,
>but I
> > > > have only been able to make it work with a distance of about six
> > > > inches apart from each other. I need to extend the distance to
>about
> > > > five to six feet and be as econimical as possible. I am open
>to any
> > > > suggestions. The sensor does not need a frequency circuit, I
>simply
> > > > want to have a continual beam that the phototransistor can pick
>up
> > > > and react to a break in the beam.
> > > > I will appreciate any and all feedback from you.
>I want to thank all of you for the very informative feedback that I
>received. I want to eventually build a project for Halloween. I
>want to position a set of sensors(about 8-10) along a side walk. I
>want to build a skeleton that will move its head with the stamp and a
>servo. The idea is to have the skeleton move as if it were looking
>straight at the trick-or-treaters as they walk along the side walk.
>If you all have any other ideas for me I would appreciate it.
This may be all you will need to complete your project:
[noparse][[/noparse] http://www.wildrice.com/Halloween/Construction/Skeleton/ ]
Have fun
Regards,
Bruce Bates
>Thanks again for all the info.
>
>Frank G.