Hey all. I am begining an art/electronics project and have some questions that i would love input on.
The basic idea of the project is to attach discrete IR emittering circuits to a performers hands or fingers and encircle their stage with an array of sensers each of which triggers a particular event when they are activated. The 1st prototype aims to simply trigger an associated cluster of LEDs to turn on above/near an activated senser. The final vision is more complex and involves many more sensors and outputs but for now I will feel great getting a this first version prototype in action.
In my first version i am aiming to to attach all sensors to different analog input pins of a single PIC chip, and then use analog to digital comparison (on the MCU) to determine which sensor has the highest voltage so I can infer where the performer is pointing. Then on the same chip I intend to use different output pins to go to MOSFET transistors that will power the desired cluster of LEDs to fire.
This method assumes that the spread of the IR LED will create the most bright point at its center, is this generally the case?
to avoid false triggering from unintended light, I am going to try to use pulsing ultrabright IR emmitter circuit, and filter it on the recieving end. Is this the reasonable meathod, and how is it best done for this situation? How will the analog comparison on the recieving side be affected, and can something be done to combat this?
I have never done this before and i do not know whether to generate the IR pulses via code on an MCU or a 555 timer and then listen for the pulse via code on each pin of the recieving MCU or to use a filtering IC (wich one i do not know)? i have heard reference of oscilation filtering ICs that can listen for such specific IR patterns...What are they and will their output reflect the amplitude of the input they recieve? and are their prebuilt IC oscilators that work with my IR LEDs and the recieving filter (that could simplify my life). can i simply put one filter inbetween each sensor and input pin so that the mcu can compare voltage levels?
thank you very much for reading this and for any help you have to offer, I am comparatively a new to circuit design, and still have have much to learn.
Many thanks.
The basic idea of the project is to attach discrete IR emittering circuits to a performers hands or fingers and encircle their stage with an array of sensers each of which triggers a particular event when they are activated. The 1st prototype aims to simply trigger an associated cluster of LEDs to turn on above/near an activated senser. The final vision is more complex and involves many more sensors and outputs but for now I will feel great getting a this first version prototype in action.
In my first version i am aiming to to attach all sensors to different analog input pins of a single PIC chip, and then use analog to digital comparison (on the MCU) to determine which sensor has the highest voltage so I can infer where the performer is pointing. Then on the same chip I intend to use different output pins to go to MOSFET transistors that will power the desired cluster of LEDs to fire.
This method assumes that the spread of the IR LED will create the most bright point at its center, is this generally the case?
to avoid false triggering from unintended light, I am going to try to use pulsing ultrabright IR emmitter circuit, and filter it on the recieving end. Is this the reasonable meathod, and how is it best done for this situation? How will the analog comparison on the recieving side be affected, and can something be done to combat this?
I have never done this before and i do not know whether to generate the IR pulses via code on an MCU or a 555 timer and then listen for the pulse via code on each pin of the recieving MCU or to use a filtering IC (wich one i do not know)? i have heard reference of oscilation filtering ICs that can listen for such specific IR patterns...What are they and will their output reflect the amplitude of the input they recieve? and are their prebuilt IC oscilators that work with my IR LEDs and the recieving filter (that could simplify my life). can i simply put one filter inbetween each sensor and input pin so that the mcu can compare voltage levels?
thank you very much for reading this and for any help you have to offer, I am comparatively a new to circuit design, and still have have much to learn.
Many thanks.