Sensors-Recap

PINS ON THE ARDUINO BOARD CAN BE CONFIGURED AS INPUTS OR OUTPUTS

SENSOR INPUTS ARE DIGITAL OR ANALOG

DIGITAL

Use digital side of board.

Many digital inputs are binary i.e 1 or 0.

Common binary inputs would be switches, pirs, buttons, tilt switches, carpet switch.

Some other types of digital inputs displaya range of values (ie 0-255 or 0 -1024).

ALWAYS CHECK WHETHER A SENSOR USES THE DIGITAL OR ANALOG SIDE OF THE BOARD.

ANALOG

Analog inputs use analog side of the board and have a range.

Some other types of digital inputs display a range of values (ie 0-255 or 0 -1024).

Common Analog sensors would include

ldr, potentiometer, FSR pressure sensor, barepaint, piezos (as knock or vibration sensor)

THERE ARE NOTES ON ADDITIONAL SENSOR TYPES AT END OF THE PAGE

OUTPUTS HARDWARE

Common outputs include LEDS, 8 ohm speakers, piezos, motors (servo, dc motor, stepper), solenoid

OUTPUTS SOFTWARE

Using Serial communication or OSC Arduino can communicate with lots of different programs to control video, sound, visuals.

Common programs include Quartz Composer, Isadora, Max, Processing.

KNOCK KNOCK

We demoed : "Knock back" an arduino sketch which read a piezo element to detect a knocking sound.

Following a defined period without additional knocks, the knocks are replayed by the device.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Knock-Back-A-Knock-Echoing-Arduino/

Some Rules of Thumb when Hacking (condensed from Nicolas Collins -Handmade Electronic Music) Fear Not. Dont take anything apart that plugs in to the wall!

Avoid Connecting battery backwards.

In general try and avoid short circuits (A short circuit is an electrical circuit that allows a current to travel along an unintended path, often where essentially no (or a very low) electrical impedance is encountered i.e. if you connect two battery terminals together.

Hacks like a butterfly are sometimes beautiful but short-lived..

It is easier to take something apart..than to put it back together again

NB When working with electronics if there is heat or smoke (STOP!)