Hey there, im working on a simple robot using servos and flex sensors for human control...
Problem is, i have no idea where to buy flex sensors from the UK?
jagatia:
Hey there, im working on a simple robot using servos and flex sensors for human control...Problem is, i have no idea where to buy flex sensors from the UK?
Having problems using Google, I see...
http://robosavvy.com/store/product_info.php/products_id/415
Another option might be to make your own, using homemade conductive glue:
http://www.instructables.com/id/Make-Conductive-Glue-and-Glue-a-Circuit/ (also be sure to check out his referenced web site)
Finally - something you might try is building an optical bend sensor:
- Buy some shiny aquarium tubing, some black heat-shrink tubing to fit over the aquarium tubing, plus a red or green LED and an LDR (the LED and LDR should be able to fit inside the aquarium tubing snugly).
- Fit the heatshrink over a length of tubing (a bit longer than your finger, or whatever you need for the bend sensor) - it should also be a snug fit; if it is slightly loose, use a heat gun on low to shrink it up.
- Fit the LED on one end of the tubing, and the LDR on the other end. You may need to use some super-glue or epoxy (or even hot glue in a pinch, but it won't be as secure).
Once you have it assembled, you'll want to hook up the LED so that it turns on (use a 3-6 VDC battery and a series resistor inline with the LED to limit current - consult your datasheet for the LED to figure out what the maximum current it can sink before failure, then run about 10-20 percent under this). The LDR you'll want to hook up to the Arduino like in these tutorials:
http://www.ladyada.net/learn/sensors/cds.html
http://www.arduino.cc/playground/CourseWare/AnalogInput
(I can't vouch for any of these tutorials - caveat emptor)
Basically, you monitor your analog port, and when the tubing is bent, less light is "seen" by the LDR from the LED, and the value changes. A red or green LED is used because 1) LDRs are more sensitive to the red/green portion of the spectrum (if you have a datasheet for your LDR, you might check it), and 2) They tend to be inexpensive.
Hope this helps.
Thanks mate, its very expensive for flex sensors.
jagatia:
Thanks mate, its very expensive for flex sensors.
Another source for flex sensors - if you can still find them - are old Mattel Nintendo PowerGloves; there are four sensors per glove (the pinkie finger wasn't sensed). PowerGloves are getting more difficult to find, but they can still be had - although they are become collector items, and the price is increasing (but per sensor, it might be worth it - plus you'd get a set of ultrasonic transmitters and receivers for other experiments, I suppose).