Obviously inherent in the question is that it be feasible to do with an Arduino. If there is some set speed that I can’t go over is it possible that I can blink two leds - each at 20 times per second in opposition to one another? And if all else fails can I blink 4 leds at 10 times per second one right after the other to cause a total of 40 discreet flashes in one minute? If there is any possibility for any of these to work I will need to design around needing a certain number of leds to accomplish what I want to do with my project.
Thank you for any help you can give.
Yes.
(Hint: the LED in a TV remote blinks nearly 40 thousand times a second.)
Start implementing your blink code. Show it if you run into problems.
If there is any possibility for any of these to work I will need to design around needing a certain number of leds to accomplish what I want to do with my project.
If you tell us what you want to accomplish we can help.
You can blink an LED much faster than that, but at around 50Hz you can no longer perceive the blinking.
I’m thinking goggles with a 16 to 24 led array per “lense”. I get that I’m not a mouse but both of my parents have/had Alzheimers and I’m willing to experiment on my own brain. Might not work but it can’t hurt.
Thank you all for the information. I’m off to find a sketchbook.
each at 20 times per second in opposition to one another?
If you wire one LED between the output pin (through the usual current limiting resistor) and ground ("sourcing" current), and wire another one between the output pin (you can share the resistor) and +5V ("sinking" current) they will blink oppositely!
Of course, you have to "reverse" the polarity of the one connected to 5V because the current is flowing from +5V through the LED and Arduino, eventually to ground (when the output pin is low).
I'm thinking goggles with a 16 to 24 led array per "lense".
For that, you'll need some kind of driver circuit. Each I/O pin can supply (source or sink) 40mA "absolute maximum", and the maximum current for the whole chip is 200mA, including whatever it takes to power the chip itself.
...The "standard" driver circuits invert the polarity and they only sink current so it's not so easy to use the little trick I described above.
While your goals are well-intentioned, flashing/strobing lights in the wrong circumstances - with particular people - can be quite dangerous*.
Read up and be careful in your testing.
DVDDoug - yeah, I was over engineering. Instead of planning on modeling and 3d printing a custom goggle I’ve considered what you said and scaled WAY back. I mean I can always go back later and fancy pants it if it shows promise. Swim goggles, two leds, an Arduino, and some programming should get me started.
LastChanceName - I hear you. But having cared full time for two amazing people who declined into mental infancy I can tell you without reservation... I would rather die than go out that way. Not least because I have nobody who will step up to care for me the way I cared for my parents. I won’t go out jabbering like a mental patient covered in bed sores in the cheapest run home the state could find. No sir.
No desire to thwart your help for them, and I feel exactly the same way you do...
Just be aware of things that might happen which you may not see outwardly.
Good luck.
The answer to your question is yes. Get the Arduino cookbook and read it. Also on line there are many videos etc showing the Arduino and how to do what you want. This additional information will go a long way in getting your problem solved. Once you get past this you then need to select your sensors and actuators. At that point you start on the hardware design and write your software.