Piezoelectric Transducers

Using Arduino General Electronics
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Hello everyone! My name is Michael, I have a question about...


Those things, yes. Those are piezoelectric transducers, is that what they are called?
Anyways, I've figured out how to make sounds with it, but I always wandered if I can read analog signals from it when I, for instance, put my finger on the side of it (not the one with wires soldered).
If you jack that thing to an amp and touch it, it will make sounds, like a very weak microphone, and volume will be varying from 0 to some point, so I was wandering if I can do that with Arduino Uno R3.

I've tried different wirings, resistors and stuff but still the readings from it are too random and barely represent reality.
What do you think?

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Hi, yes you can get them to produce a signal if you touch it or speak to it, but to get the best results you need to support it at the edges.
Also the output is what is called HIGH IMPEDANCE output, this means that its output is very load sensitive, a high impedance pre-amp is what you would need to get any decent output that would drive a modern microphone input, which is usually LOW IMPEDANCE.

They are used in many places for, pressure, vibration, sound detection and as you found an output device if you apply an AC signal.

Tom..... :slight_smile:

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Be careful not to flex it too far, or the ceramic material will crack.

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