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Post by Honus on Sept 12, 2014 5:02:07 GMT
I had a lot of people ask about how to do some basic animatronic effects using an Arduino so I wrote up a tutorial. Topics include how to program an Arduino, how to add lights and sounds, using various sensors and input devices and controlling servos. Using a bend sensor to trigger LEDs and a sound effect is really easy- The tutorial shows how to build a custom controller board using an Arduino Pro Mini but any model Arduino can be used.
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Post by Murdoch on Sept 20, 2014 15:22:53 GMT
This bend sensor that i had just seen. Can you tell me how durable it is. Is there an average life span on something like this. Can this be applied to all materials, say sound or a servo motor. Thanx Honus...GM
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Post by Honus on Sept 20, 2014 18:08:30 GMT
Those bend sensors (also called flex sensors) are pretty durable if they are used properly- they were used in the old Nintendo PowerGlove. You need to be careful soldering the tabs on them and they need heat shrink over the connections to act as a strain relief since that's where they are most likely to be damaged. It's also best to put a sleeve over the sensor before using in a glove application or anything that could see some abrasion- the metal pads on the sensor need to be facing on the outside of the bend in order for it to work properly and those pads can be worn off and/or damaged if left unprotected. SpectraSymbol (the manufacturer) rates them at over one million cycles.
They can be used for all kinds of applications- anything where you would use a variable resistor (potentiometer). You can use it to track servo movement or brightness of an LED to the amount of bend in the sensor, use it control the speed of a motor, etc. When using them in this manner they can be a bit noisy, especially if your wires running to the sensor are long or unshielded. By noisy I mean the readings from the sensor can jump around quite a bit so you need to average readings in your code or apply a filter- otherwise if you're using it to control an exact servo position the servo will jitter a fair bit. I tend to use them as an input device that reads the amount of bend in a finger and then triggers a function- sort of like a switch. You set a threshold in your code and once the sensor reaches that threshold an action is performed.
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parra
New Member
Posts: 1
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Post by parra on Apr 20, 2015 21:54:30 GMT
Hi, I am new to Arduino, I have building Halloween props for the past 5yrs. I will build something like a pirate ship with clear box tape ghost add mini strobes and fog and it is a big hit. even built a UFO crash site in my front yard, again strobes, fog, etc... this year I want to create a Back to the Future build with a Delorean time machine (made from PVC pipe and cardboard) with the driver side door that opens (arduino motor shield) and lifts about 20" in the air. I have the motors working together but I want to add audio. a sound bite or two from the move. I am using an arduino Mega, and thought I could use the extra pins to connect a sound card to. I want to play the audio then run the motors. can you point me in a good direction for the audio. any and all help is appreciated
thanks
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Post by Honus on Apr 24, 2015 5:33:19 GMT
Hi parra and welcome! For sound effects use the Adafruit Audio FX Sound Board- www.adafruit.com/product/2210It's super simple to use- you don't even need to program it. You can trigger it from one of the digital out pins from the Mega.
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