Can someone please explain the use of resistors in this project? What will happen if I don't use resistors here?
The Arduino measures the time it takes for the capacitance to charge up, through the resistors.
t = RC
If R were zero (or very low), then t would always be zero (or very low).
http://playground.arduino.cc/Main/CapacitiveSensor?from=Main.CapSense
Hello I just tried to run its calibration program without using resistors. When I don't touch the arduino, the values are like this:
30 130 163 74 75 368 125 199 0 0 148 0 63 22 23 0 379 130 130 163 74 75 368 125 199 0 0 0 0 0 33 7 21 8 43 17 33 11 1 32 12 30 0 30 5
However once I touch it, the values are
51694 102773 102709 102723 102724 102719 102706 102745 102703 102716 102707
and even after I leave, the values don't go down. Is this normal? Can you please explain why this is happening?
That is a very sad and confusing Instructable. However, if you are simply leaving the resistors out, the inputs are floating and will show random voltages picked up from RFI, line hum, static electricity, etc. The values you are getting are meaningless.
I suggest you build the example capsense circuit. And use the resistors.
Thank you 