Hi All!
I’m wondering how to create a “press” sensor around a model car. I was thinking about making a small bumper around whole car which is sensitive for pushing. What I’m looking for is to get the information if press occurs (only that, doesn’t matter where).
What is important:
- detecting for the press on whole perimeter/around whole model car - so there are no “blind spots”
What is irrelevant:
-
position of the press
-
press strength
Here’s the first idea that come to me when I started think about it: I wanted to use some sort of elastic tube, with an inner radius of around 2.5 times copper cord (or any other conductor that I’d use). The idea was to “burn in” into the elastic tube (not sure how to correctly name it) 2 copper cords on opposite sides - so that once the model has been hit, 2 copper cords connect. When the model is no longer pressed, 2 cords go back to their initial position thanks to elastic characteristics of the tube.
http://i.imgur.com/qSExGXF.png
First Prototype
Unfortunately either my plan was not good or the execution was bad, because I failed to even make a prototype. Here’s what I did:
-
heat-shrink tubing for outer tube - it had enough room for 2 copper wires to not connect inside. Also, when not heated, these tubes has perfectly elastic. But the problem is when they get hotter…
-
2 copper wires/conductors - well copper is not the most elastic conductor, so that might be yet another not the best idea. But that was the only thing I had to use.
Now to make a prototype, I took just 2cm of heat-shrink tube, and few cms of copper wire and tried to heat it with soldering iron but, as might be expected, tube started to shrink instead melting a little with the cord.
http://i.imgur.com/RbBENZn.jpg
I’m wondering if any of you guys have an idea how to create such sensor? Any help would be appreciated!
My problem might be trivial for some of you, but so far electronics is just my hobby however it gives me a lot of fun! 