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Movement sensor — Parallax Forums

Movement sensor

ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
edited 2002-03-15 02:43 in General Discussion
I'm looking for some form of movement sensor to use with my stamp
project.

Imagine a window frame (made of wood, metal, plastic, the material
doesn't matter to me) that is 18" wide, 24" high and 3" deep. I want
to sense any movement in that window, say whenever an insect
passes thru the window opening. The sensor field is to be limited to
that window, so that insects hovering just outside the window limts
don't trigger the sensor. I've tried ultrasonic but can't contain it
within the window, it trips when something passes just outside the
window opening. Whatever the sensor is, the field has to trigger only
when something is actually within the window dimensions. I'm not
looking for positional awareness within the window either, just the
fact that movement occurred.

Any suggestions on a sensor that can be set to limit its field of
coverage within those dimensions?

Ray

Comments

  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2002-03-14 19:19
    I've been looking into something close to this, what I was
    thinking is two or three IR led's oscillating at 40khz and
    whatever number of IR sensors also at 40khz, so that all area's
    are covered. Maybe hook all of them in parallel so any one would
    trip the same input, and have a tight loop or while statement
    looking for a change.


    Original Message
    From: "ac_cars" <w2ec@a...>
    To: <basicstamps@yahoogroups.com>
    Sent: March 14, 2002 11:02 AM
    Subject: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] Movement sensor


    I'm looking for some form of movement sensor to use with my stamp
    project.

    Imagine a window frame (made of wood, metal, plastic, the
    material
    doesn't matter to me) that is 18" wide, 24" high and 3" deep. I
    want
    to sense any movement in that window, say whenever an insect
    passes thru the window opening. The sensor field is to be limited
    to
    that window, so that insects hovering just outside the window
    limts
    don't trigger the sensor. I've tried ultrasonic but can't contain
    it
    within the window, it trips when something passes just outside
    the
    window opening. Whatever the sensor is, the field has to trigger
    only
    when something is actually within the window dimensions. I'm not
    looking for positional awareness within the window either, just
    the
    fact that movement occurred.

    Any suggestions on a sensor that can be set to limit its field of
    coverage within those dimensions?

    Ray


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  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2002-03-15 01:33
    Instead of oscillating the LEDs, consider oscillating small mirrors
    which reflect stationary LED beams using voice-coil electromagnetic
    drivers similar to those used in laser light shows. A recent Nuts N
    Volts issue described a project which does this.

    If insect detection is the actual problem here, other variables would
    apply such as insect opacity, size, air speed, and wing-beat frequency
    producing clutter, among others. Bats do an excellent job with
    ultrasound, but emulating a bat would push the limits of a DSP chip, and
    be way beyond current Stamp capabilities.

    Dennis

    Original Message
    From: Larry Gaminde [noparse]/noparse]mailto:[url=http://forums.parallaxinc.com/group/basicstamps/post?postID=-bFMjksf7AKd4yBQsOtakTPFJLXhjuUs1q0iNCQpg2nV5hm35cN5EXnjkhuFHc9oQBodKDpaVBVpDOWhXA]lgaminde@t...[/url
    Sent: Thursday, March 14, 2002 11:19 AM
    To: basicstamps@yahoogroups.com
    Subject: Re: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] Movement sensor


    I've been looking into something close to this, what I was thinking is
    two or three IR led's oscillating at 40khz and whatever number of IR
    sensors also at 40khz, so that all area's are covered. Maybe hook all of
    them in parallel so any one would trip the same input, and have a tight
    loop or while statement looking for a change.
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2002-03-15 01:50
    >
    Original Message
    >From: Larry Gaminde [noparse]/noparse]mailto:[url=http://forums.parallaxinc.com/group/basicstamps/post?postID=5gED9Q525pO_QRxMcCDcb1c2ZXdx2nNfylMwvy-JFQUyqSqP7ONBGoKpSioV6yw7WqWUGFMrlVHqYQ2daA]lgaminde@t...[/url
    >Sent: Thursday, March 14, 2002 11:19 AM
    >To: basicstamps@yahoogroups.com
    >Subject: Re: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] Movement sensor
    >
    >I've been looking into something close to this, what I was thinking is
    >two or three IR led's oscillating at 40khz and whatever number of IR
    >sensors also at 40khz, so that all area's are covered. Maybe hook all of
    >them in parallel so any one would trip the same input, and have a tight
    >loop or while statement looking for a change.


    How big are the smallest insects? Perhaps you could build a frame with a
    mirrored strip on the inside top and bottom and insert this into the
    window. Shine something like a laser pointer down thru a hole in the top
    mirror near one end at an angle that will make it bounce back and forth
    between top and bottom mirrors with a spacing that won't let your smallest
    bug get by. At the end have a detector. If the bugs break the beam too
    quickly to be sure of counting them, stretch the pulse a bit to be sure
    it's detected. You'll need to be able to make some sensitive adjustments
    to the angle of the mirrors in two dimensions to get that beam to bounce
    just so. The mechanicals here aren't simple, but in the end it's simple
    beam-break technology. It doesn't get much simpler or more sure than that.


    Jim H
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2002-03-15 02:43
    You can run a loose widely spaced wire grid, apply 50,000+ volts or so to
    the wires,
    when a insect flies through, it draws a spark and causes a momentary pulse
    that you can count. You can run all vertical or horizontal only wires, and
    alternate which ones are hot and the return lines. The nice thing is you
    won't have to chase the insects around afterwards either, just sweep them up
    or have a tray under it that you can empty from time to time. You can use a
    automobile igntion coil and a hi-voltage capacitor bank (if needed) to store
    the charge.
    You can also just listen for the crack sound when the spark is drawn too. A
    simple mic would work.

    Original Message
    From: Jim Higgins [noparse]/noparse]mailto:[url=http://forums.parallaxinc.com/group/basicstamps/post?postID=TjN-tDtbw-QTuq5CZqPPcUSnv_wPyx9VY_uAqg-U-TOKwVv1fRtF_zoHb1_KxjCBpv4a-QJem8xx4A]HigginsJ@s...[/url
    Sent: Thursday, March 14, 2002 7:50 PM
    To: basicstamps@yahoogroups.com
    Subject: RE: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] Movement sensor



    >
    Original Message
    >From: Larry Gaminde [noparse]/noparse]mailto:[url=http://forums.parallaxinc.com/group/basicstamps/post?postID=D6-iMPUY_HK3spaSVHc4KSzreUWWraKbEJueI0gVqd4vZHsylx3AODFYEDA1jMJcxHcozFcPhqcmIn6wPDo]lgaminde@t...[/url
    >Sent: Thursday, March 14, 2002 11:19 AM
    >To: basicstamps@yahoogroups.com
    >Subject: Re: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] Movement sensor
    >
    >I've been looking into something close to this, what I was thinking is
    >two or three IR led's oscillating at 40khz and whatever number of IR
    >sensors also at 40khz, so that all area's are covered. Maybe hook all of
    >them in parallel so any one would trip the same input, and have a tight
    >loop or while statement looking for a change.


    How big are the smallest insects? Perhaps you could build a frame with a
    mirrored strip on the inside top and bottom and insert this into the
    window. Shine something like a laser pointer down thru a hole in the top
    mirror near one end at an angle that will make it bounce back and forth
    between top and bottom mirrors with a spacing that won't let your smallest
    bug get by. At the end have a detector. If the bugs break the beam too
    quickly to be sure of counting them, stretch the pulse a bit to be sure
    it's detected. You'll need to be able to make some sensitive adjustments
    to the angle of the mirrors in two dimensions to get that beam to bounce
    just so. The mechanicals here aren't simple, but in the end it's simple
    beam-break technology. It doesn't get much simpler or more sure than that.


    Jim H


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