oscillatory motionitude

MiniPOV4 and previous versions

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glistener
 
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Apr 06, 2005 10:45 pm

oscillatory motionitude

Post by glistener »

i've got a little blinker going (i call mine microPOV, as it uses 3mm blue LEDs & a 9V battery)... and i'm wonderin' how it could be more legible. swinging it back 'n forth by hand makes for confusing occular input... mirror images of the text superimposed.

i've been looking for a (cheap) means of generating a signal that could key a reverse the output at the apex of each swing.

being somewhat of a nov, what sensor options are feasible? tilt-sensor? piezo sensor? something mechanical (a little magnet on a lever, waving past a hall-effect sensor?)

any ideas you feel like sharing would be well super!

thanks!

blinkily,
gL

adafruit
 
Posts: 12151
Joined: Thu Apr 06, 2006 4:21 pm

Post by adafruit »

if its just going back and forth, a tilt switch would be fine.

glistener
 
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Apr 06, 2005 10:45 pm

Post by glistener »

Ooo, this looks good -- a photointerrupter (PDF: 38K, digikey)

gL

plauale
 

Easiest and cheapest switch without mercury

Post by plauale »

Even better would be a 2-pin header coming out of your board with a little compression spring surrounding them. (I wish i could make a little sketch for you.) connect the spring to the circuit also. this way when you swing the POV one way and reverse your motion quickly, the spring will hit one pin, going back the other way will hit the other pin so you always know your end of travel points (at any resonable speed).

Remimber to debouce your switch electrically or in software.

You will have to play around to get just the right spring to work. There are so many variables (length, diameter, wire size, helix angle, material, etc.) But I am confident you can find just the right one.

If you don't have a little compression spring sitting around open up an old CDROM or tape deck.

Does that make sense? If not I will try and get you a picture.

Good luck.

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