Input Devices

I never expected that I would make a sensor ever 🤯! This week was unbelievable! Using my learnings from last week, I designed sensors of my own 🎨, milled them out 🛠️, tested them 🔬, and learned so much from the process 📚. Most importantly, I worked on a flex sensor 🤸‍♂️ that will be used for my final project! 🚀🔥

Sensor Board (yes! word play)

With reference to Jesal Sir's work I created this board that helps to isolate unwanted readings from the testing environment. It is basically a pull down system which acts as a filter to show only relevant sensor values.

PCB Schematic

Routed PCB

Final board

Step Resopnse Sensors

I milled out copper plates to create step response sensors of my own. The first one I designed to look like the letter 'M' (my initial). The second one was an attempt to create a slider which didnt quite workout. I later realised I needed multiple reciever pins for it to work. So I just have a couple itteration of touch sensors. To bridge the gap i first tried using my finger, then I used tap water and finally settles on using a coin. you can see that in the documentation that whenever I press the coin down, the sensor registers the touch.

Touch Sensor 1

Touch Sensor 2

Flex Sesnor

The flex sensor plays an essential part in my final project. Using it i will trigger the plasma pulse from my Iron Man gauntlet. This week however i could not make it work. I am still debugging the code as well as the connections that I made. But essentialy the logic was to connect the A0/A1 Pin to one pin of the sensor and 3.3V pin to another end. And at the same time create a pull down resistor system at the A0/A1 pin which connects it to the ground.

When not bent No deflection

When bent No deflection registered

I an working on debugging this issue, I'll add updates as soon as I make a breakthrough!