I'm looking for a tilt sensor / circuit that can detect very slight movement, i would imagine a couple of degrees either way, which would intern trigger voltages to an LED array similar to this:
**broken link removed**
so at level the middle LED's light. Tip the sensor to the right and the right hand LED's light etc.. shall we say and electronic spirit level. Does anyone know if this is possible or are there any purchasable circuit kits out there which would do such a job
I'm looking for a tilt sensor / circuit that can detect very slight movement, i would imagine a couple of degrees either way, which would intern trigger voltages to an LED array similar to this:
**broken link removed**
so at level the middle LED's light. Tip the sensor to the right and the right hand LED's light etc.. shall we say and electronic spirit level. Does anyone know if this is possible or are there any purchasable circuit kits out there which would do such a job
The tilt senor itself could be made from a short slightly bent plastic tube with a steel ball in it. On the outside would have to wind two coils side by side that would be part of two oscillators. As the ball moves the frequency of the oscillators would change representing the tilt.
It would be similar to what is called linear displacement transformers.
That is all I have time for..............
If you can get an analog voltage out of whatever tilt sensor you chose (have you Googled: Tilt Sensor?), you can use a LM3914 IC to convert the voltage to drive your LED display.
"intern" should be"in turn" (an intern is something completely different, kind of like a student)
THere are electrolytic tilt sensors that do that very accurately (in static conditions), but they cost a lot. Like $300 or so from Spectron Sensor (although the one I have in mind is a 2-axis one). A accelerometer or inclinometer IC would also do the trick.
I'm looking for a tilt sensor / circuit that can detect very slight movement, i would imagine a couple of degrees either way, which would intern trigger voltages to an LED array similar to this:
**broken link removed**
so at level the middle LED's light. Tip the sensor to the right and the right hand LED's light etc.. shall we say and electronic spirit level. Does anyone know if this is possible or are there any purchasable circuit kits out there which would do such a job
Hi,
From your description of the project it appears that you just require an indication of tilt. Say 2deg either side of the horizontal, not any intermediate degree of tilt. ??
Buy two low cost tilt sensors [look at the Maplin web site] and mount them end to end in such a way that a 2deg tilt to the right closes one and a 2deg tilt down left closes the other.
The switches in the sensors will drive a LED via a limiting resistor.
A little extra logic would light an LED in the mid position.
I used to do this with mercury switches salvaged from old thermostats. May not be an environmentally friendly thing to do, unless you can be very sure they would not get broken.
ericgibbs said:
Hi,
From your description of the project it appears that you just require an indication of tilt. Say 2deg either side of the horizontal, not any intermediate degree of tilt. ??
Buy two low cost tilt sensors [look at the Maplin web site] and mount them end to end in such a way that a 2deg tilt to the right closes one and a 2deg tilt down left closes the other.
The switches in the sensors will drive a LED via a limiting resistor.
A little extra logic would light an LED in the mid position.
a tilt sensor isn't accurate enough. There are lots of acelleration sensors with different resolutions - up to 0.1 degree - on the market (e.g. maxim-ic.com). They are available from one axis to three, to measure X,Y and Z movements or displacements. Interfacing them with a small MCU it's quite easy and cheap to constuct a "spirit level" like it is used in the construction business.
In the meanwhile I will search for a project using a one axis sensor and an LM3914 to indicate tilt.
here is what you have been looking for. This circuit uses an ADXL05 (Analog devices). It's obsolete, but probably you can find one - or a suitable substitute.
It is very important for accurate measurements that the longitudional axis is aligned perfectly with the base of your housing.
well, my idea for keeping it simple would be along rolfs lines, with the bent plastic tube and the bearing. but instead of trying to engeneer the wire wraps and oscilators and such, id just put contacts it the tube at the pre-determined locations, and have each contact power the appropriate led.
well, my idea for keeping it simple would be along rolfs lines, with the bent plastic tube and the bearing. but instead of trying to engeneer the wire wraps and oscilators and such, id just put contacts it the tube at the pre-determined locations, and have each contact power the appropriate led.
"intern" should be"in turn" (an intern is something completely different, kind of like a student)
THere are electrolytic tilt sensors that do that very accurately (in static conditions), but they cost a lot. Like $300 or so from Spectron Sensor (although the one I have in mind is a 2-axis one). A accelerometer or inclinometer IC would also do the trick.
Security industry use Inertia sensors, if you can grab one of them from somewhere, it should do the job nicely. Alternately, RS have a sealed stainless steel mercury switch tilt switch?