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I really need help on this

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JAMES IRVINE

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I am currently designing a hypothetical electronics project for the purpose of enabling someone with celebral palsy to operate a scalextric toy racing track. The user will only have the ability to move their head and so the concept I have so far is to have motion sensors or some other type of sensor attached to their head to detect movement. So as anyone familiar with scalextric would know that it operates with an analogue controller which when fully compressed would deliver maximum acceleration and to brake it would simply be released at the rate at which braking was required.

I was wondering if anyone would be able to help me in any way. Like maybe some component suggestions to help me on my way or maybe someone knows of circuit diagrams which I could find online which I could learn from. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
 
https://uk.farnell.com/1365601

That is an accelerometer with analogue outputs that can easily be used to measure tilt.

You would need amplification between that and the car, obviously.

You might want to use the PWM or I2C output versions if you are going via a microcontroller.

I think that the Scalextric is just 12V = full speed. 0V = stop and you'll need about 2 amps for each car.
 
thanks diver 300 I have no time at all really to put into this project due to massive work committments so this is greatly appreciated and gives me a platform now to build upon. I can subcontract firms to get parts for the project but its knowing what parts I need that is the question?
 
Sounds like something medically helpful with a Nintendo Wii. I saw a similar story about the Wii helping seniors with rehab and food prep. A virtual reality exhibit clearly demonstrated the effect of gyros, like those found on a Segway scooter.
 
I'm not trying to be a smart alec or anything here, but isn't that over designing things a little? Is there any reason you couldn't just mount the controller in such a way that they can depress it with their chin?
 
Does it have to be built around a tilt switch, is there a reason why some sort of mechanical operation can't be used and linked to a variable pot, then the varying potential can be linked to a outboard power transistor, which in turn is linked to the scalextric feed rails, by mechanical operation I mean something along the lines of a guitar foot pedal, but on a smaller and more discrete design, just a thought? Karl
 
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