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  1. Home
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  3. Simple detector that detects "breaking of a line"

Simple detector that detects "breaking of a line"

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  • Cliff KarlssonC Offline
    Cliff KarlssonC Offline
    Cliff Karlsson
    wrote on last edited by
    #1

    I have been looking for some simple detector/sensor to use in doorways just to detect if something steps through. I would want a narrow beam so that I can use multiple close together.

    I thought that it would be easy to find ir sensors for this that just sends out a beam and gets a signal if something breaks the line. But most ir sensors I found either have very small detection range like 1.5 cm or is pretty bulky / expensive and have different minimum ranges. The power draw seams to be somewhat big to like 50-250mA.

    I th n looked at those standard ultrasonic sensors witch also seams to detect in a pretty narrow "beam" and have ranges from like 3-300cm and only consumes a couple of uA. Can I place two or more to of the ultrasonic sensor close together or will they interfere with each other? What would the minimum distance be in this case?

    Or have I missed something, are there simple ir sensors or similar that sends out a beam that detects if something breaks the line and are pretty cheap and does not draw much power?

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    • mfalkviddM Online
      mfalkviddM Online
      mfalkvidd
      Mod
      wrote on last edited by mfalkvidd
      #2

      How about a laser pointer and a LDR?
      http://www.ebay.com/itm/261977613858
      http://www.ebay.com/itm/20Pcs-Photoresistor-LDR-CDS-5mm-Light-Dependent-Resistor-Sensor-GL5516-Arduino-/262136737294

      Put on your best tights and you'd get something like this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KX2_LCUkhDs

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      • Cliff KarlssonC Offline
        Cliff KarlssonC Offline
        Cliff Karlsson
        wrote on last edited by
        #3

        Yes that looks like a pretty cheap solution, only probem is the wiring where I would need a second set of wires as components needs to be on both sides of the doorway.

        mfalkviddM 1 Reply Last reply
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        • Cliff KarlssonC Cliff Karlsson

          Yes that looks like a pretty cheap solution, only probem is the wiring where I would need a second set of wires as components needs to be on both sides of the doorway.

          mfalkviddM Online
          mfalkviddM Online
          mfalkvidd
          Mod
          wrote on last edited by
          #4

          @Cliff-Karlsson yes. Or use a mirror.

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          • m26872M Offline
            m26872M Offline
            m26872
            Hardware Contributor
            wrote on last edited by
            #5

            @Cliff-Karlsson
            Of course, that laser thing is mandatory for every geek (yes, I have to build one myself sometime). But apart from that, are you sure that you've come to the end in your attempts using the common PIRs for this? As I see it, it should just be a matter optics.

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            • Cliff KarlssonC Offline
              Cliff KarlssonC Offline
              Cliff Karlsson
              wrote on last edited by
              #6

              @m26872 said:

              s, I have to build one myself sometime). But apart from that, are you sure that you've come to the end in your attempts using the common PIRs for this? As I see it, it should

              Yes I thought of that to and I might be totaly wrong but looking at the "ordinary" PIR build

              One of the things that made me think of going for another sensor is the trigger time. I found no setting at all on the mini PIR and on the regular the minimum trigger time was something like 10s or similar. I would need a trigger time of ~1s as I want to be able to detect if more then one person steps through a doorway.

              m26872M 1 Reply Last reply
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              • Cliff KarlssonC Cliff Karlsson

                @m26872 said:

                s, I have to build one myself sometime). But apart from that, are you sure that you've come to the end in your attempts using the common PIRs for this? As I see it, it should

                Yes I thought of that to and I might be totaly wrong but looking at the "ordinary" PIR build

                One of the things that made me think of going for another sensor is the trigger time. I found no setting at all on the mini PIR and on the regular the minimum trigger time was something like 10s or similar. I would need a trigger time of ~1s as I want to be able to detect if more then one person steps through a doorway.

                m26872M Offline
                m26872M Offline
                m26872
                Hardware Contributor
                wrote on last edited by
                #7

                @Cliff-Karlsson Ok, I see. And agree, the PIRs are probably not best/easiest for this. Though, I would call it retrigger or trigger reset time.

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                • N Offline
                  N Offline
                  niccodemi
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #8

                  @Cliff-Karlsson I use active beam detector. Power is needed on both sides though but if that is an issue you can always use mirror on the other side. In my experience these things are very sensitive in short ranges (below 5m). More expensive models let you adjust trigger time too.

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