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[on:]

Here's a vid that I made on how to make a pumpkin that senses if a person puts there hand in based on the capacitance of the person's hand.

[Reply #1 on:]

It looks good.  If you use a free program called 'fritzing' you can draw a schematic of the breadboard and wires so that it's easier to see.  It gave me an idea for something to sense if someone taking too much candy from a bowl, that is, they are reaching their hand into the bowl too many times. 
Nice job. 

[Reply #2 on:]

Yeah, it's a bit late for halloween, but I'm sure this kind of capacitance has plenty of off-season uses.

Anyways, I gotta comment a little bit on your tutorial itself. You didn't quite deliver as good as you could. I could tell that you hadn't practiced. I haven't given many tutorials, but I've looked at plenty of videos of electronics and tutorials. I'd put the camera (or another camera) pointed almost square at the bread board for a closer view (then you don't have to lift it up). I'd make sure to give a name to the pins. Like the sensor pin and the PWM pin if we're using one of each. Also, I'd have a longer wire in the pumpkin. I'd also write out a script and and hang it up (like a teleprompter lol). You could also watch a couple other tutorials to get a feel for tutoring right before you shoot.

Oh, I just thought of a legitimate use for this. At some points, when I was handing out candy, certain kids would like to dig in there forever to find exactly what they want. I can use a capacitance sensor next year to make my candy bowl growl if it senses a hand for more than 20-30 seconds. That'll be cool.

Anyways, I don't mean to be too critical of your video. You did a good job on your pumpkin.