15 IR sensors detecting where people are to display light.

Using Arduino Programming Questions
1

Hi all,

Looking for some help with my code. So, to give an overview, I've got 15 sharp IR sensors which stretch out along 10 meters. I'm looking to turn a bunch of LEDs turn on depending on where someone is. This works fine.

The issue is when more people come into the picture. I've programmed in a counter that updates a global variable and changes the color of the LEDs depending on how many people are using this (red for 1, green for 2, 3 blue etc). However, when the counter updates the color changes for everyone.

Any ideas on how to solve/best way to approach?

I appreciate this code is a little hacky.

void loop(){

  averageRead();

  unsigned long currentMillis = millis();

  if(currentMillis - previousMillis > interval) {
    previousMillis = currentMillis; 
    LEDpos = 0;
    pos = 0;
  }



  //Beam 1
  if (average > threshold){ //average IR reading for sensor 1

    peopleIn = true;


    if (pos < 1 && counter == 1){
      for(int i = 0; i <= 6; i++){
        LEDpos = i;
        scanner(0,0,127, 15);
      }
    }

    if (pos < 1 && counter == 2){
      for(int i = 0; i <= 6; i++){
        LEDpos2 = i; 
        scanner(0,0,127, 15);
      }
    }

    if (pos < 1 && counter == 3){
      for(int i = 0; i <= 6; i++){
        LEDpos3 = i; 
        scanner(0,0,127, 15);

      }
    }

    ////

    if (pos > 1 && counter == 1){
      for(int i = 11; i >= 6; i--){
        LEDpos = i; 
        scanner(0,0,127, 15);
      }
    }

    if (pos > 1 && counter == 2) {
      for(int i = 11; i >= 6; i--){
        LEDpos2 = i; 
        scanner(0,0,127, 15);
      }
    }

    if (pos > 1 && counter == 3){
      for(int i = 11; i >= 6; i--){
        LEDpos3 = i; 
        scanner(0,0,127, 15);
      }
    }

    clearL();
    previousMillis = currentMillis; // Reset the counter to stop it defaulting to demo mode.
    pos = 1;
  }

  //Beam 2
  if (average1 > threshold){

    if (peopleIn == true){
      counter++;
      peopleIn = false;
    }

    if (pos < 2 && counter == 1){
      for(int i = 6; i <= 11; i++){
        LEDpos = i; 
        scanner(0,0,127, 15);
      }
    }

    if (pos < 2 && counter == 2){
      for(int i = 6; i <= 11; i++){
        LEDpos2 = i; 
        scanner(0,0,127, 15);
      }
    }

    if (pos < 2 && counter == 3){
      for(int i = 6; i <= 11; i++){
        LEDpos3 = i; 
        scanner(0,0,127, 15);
      }
    }

    if (pos > 2 && counter == 1){
      for(int i = 22; i >= 11; i--){
        LEDpos = i;
        scanner(0,0,127, 15);
      }
    }

    if (pos > 2 && counter == 2){
      for(int i = 22; i >= 11; i--){
        LEDpos2 = i;
        scanner(0,0,127, 15);

      }
    }

    if (pos > 2 && counter == 3){
      for(int i = 22; i >= 11; i--){
        LEDpos3 = i;
        scanner(0,0,127, 15);
      }
    }

    pos = 2;
    previousMillis = currentMillis;
  }

  //Beam 3
  if (average2 > threshold){

    if (pos < 3 && counter == 1){
      for(int i = 11; i <= 22; i++){
        LEDpos = i;
        scanner(0,0,127, 15);
      }
    }

    if (pos < 3 && counter == 2){
      for(int i = 11; i <= 22; i++){
        LEDpos2 = i; 
        scanner(0,0,127, 15);
      }
    }

    if (pos < 3 && counter == 3){
      for(int i = 11; i <= 22; i++){
        LEDpos3 = i; 
        scanner(0,0,127, 15);
      }
    }


    if (pos > 3 && counter == 1){
      for(int i = 33; i >= 22; i--){
        LEDpos = i;
        scanner(0,0,127, 15);
      }
    }

    if (pos > 3 && counter == 2){
      for(int i = 33; i >= 22; i--){
        LEDpos2 = i;
        scanner(0,0,127, 15);
      }
    }

    if (pos > 3 && counter == 3){
      for(int i = 33; i >= 22; i--){
        LEDpos3 = i;
        scanner(0,0,127, 15);
      }
    }

    pos = 3;

    previousMillis = currentMillis;

    delay(t);
  }

  //Beam 4
  if (average3 > threshold){

    if (pos < 4 && counter == 1){
      for(int i = 22; i <= 33; i++){
        LEDpos = i; 
        scanner(0,0,127, 15);
      }
    }

    if (pos < 4 && counter == 2){
      for(int i = 22; i <= 33; i++){
        LEDpos2 = i; 
        scanner(0,0,127, 15);
      }
    }


    if (pos < 4 && counter == 3){
      for(int i = 22; i <= 33; i++){
        LEDpos3 = i; 
        scanner(0,0,127, 15);
      }
    }


    if (pos > 4 && counter == 1){
      for(int i = 44; i >= 33; i--){
        LEDpos = i; 
        scanner(0,0,127, 15);
      }
    }

    if (pos > 4 && counter == 2){
      for(int i = 44; i >= 33; i--){
        LEDpos2 = i; 
        scanner(0,0,127, 15);
      }
    }

    if (pos > 4 && counter == 3){
      for(int i = 44; i >= 33; i--){
        LEDpos3 = i; 
        scanner(0,0,127, 15);
      }
    }


    pos = 4; //update our global positioning
    previousMillis = currentMillis;
  }

  if (average4 > threshold){

    if (pos < 5 && counter == 1){
      for(int i = 33; i <= 44; i++){
        LEDpos = i; 
        scanner(0,0,127, 15);
      }
    }

    if (pos < 5 && counter == 2){
      for(int i = 33; i <= 44; i++){
        LEDpos2 = i; 
        scanner(0,0,127, 15);
      }
    }

    if (pos < 5 && counter == 3){
      for(int i = 33; i <= 44; i++){
        LEDpos3 = i; 
        scanner(0,0,127, 15);

      }
    }
    if (pos > 5 && counter == 1){
      for(int i = 55; i >= 44; i--){
        LEDpos = i;
        scanner(0,0,127, 15); 
      }
    }

    if (pos > 5 && counter == 2){
      for(int i = 55; i >= 44; i--){
        LEDpos2 = i; 
        scanner(0,0,127, 15); 
      }
    }

    if (pos > 5 && counter == 3){
      for(int i = 55; i >= 44; i--){
        LEDpos3 = i;
        scanner(0,0,127, 15); 
      }
    }

    pos = 5; //update our global positioning
    previousMillis = currentMillis;
  }


  ////////////////// ETC ETC............ ////////////////////////

}


void scanner(uint8_t r, uint8_t g, uint8_t b, uint8_t wait) {


  for( int i = -160; i < 0; i++ ){

    strip.setPixelColor(LEDpos + i , strip.Color(r, g, b));
    strip.setPixelColor(LEDpos2 + i ,strip.Color(255,0, 0));
    strip.setPixelColor(LEDpos3 + i ,strip.Color(0,255, 0));

    strip.setPixelColor(LEDpos + 1, strip.Color(r, g, b));
    strip.setPixelColor(LEDpos2 + 1 ,strip.Color(255,0, 0));
    strip.setPixelColor(LEDpos3 + 1 ,strip.Color(0,255, 0));

    strip.setPixelColor(LEDpos + 2, strip.Color(r/3, g/3, b/3));
    strip.setPixelColor(LEDpos2 + 2 , strip.Color(255/3, 0/3, 0/3));
    strip.setPixelColor(LEDpos3 + 2 , strip.Color(0, 255/3, 0/3));

    strip.setPixelColor(LEDpos + 3, strip.Color(r/10, g/10, b/10));
    strip.setPixelColor(LEDpos2 + 3 , strip.Color(255/10, 0/10, 0/10));
    strip.setPixelColor(LEDpos3 + 3 , strip.Color(0, 255/10, 0/10));

    strip.setPixelColor(LEDpos + 4, strip.Color(r/20, g/20, b/20));
    strip.setPixelColor(LEDpos2 + 4 ,  strip.Color(255/20, 0/20, 0/20));
    strip.setPixelColor(LEDpos3 + 4 ,  strip.Color(0, 255/20, 0/20));

    strip.setPixelColor(LEDpos + 5, strip.Color(r/50, g/50, b/50));
    strip.setPixelColor(LEDpos2 + 5 , strip.Color(255/50, 0/50, 0/50));
    strip.setPixelColor(LEDpos3 + 5 , strip.Color(0, 255/50, 0/50));


  }


  strip.show();
}

void clearL(){

  for (int i=0; i < strip.numPixels(); i++) {
    strip.setPixelColor(i, 0);
  }
}
2

Whatever else you do, please change the code to use arrays and make some of the repetitive code into functions.

3

I can't see any practical way for an array of PIR sensors to detect how many people there are in a given location. At best, you could look for areas with motion which are adjacent to other areas with motion, and use that to infer which areas are 'hot spots' and change their display accordingly.

4

The averageRead() function, declaration of global variables and the setup() function are missing from the code posted. Can you please post the whole code ?

5

PeterH:
I can't see any practical way for an array of PIR sensors to detect how many people there are in a given location. At best, you could look for areas with motion which are adjacent to other areas with motion, and use that to infer which areas are 'hot spots' and change their display accordingly.

I'm using Sharp IR sensors. When someone crosses the beam it breaks a threshold.