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Subject: 
Re: Voltage or resistance
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.robotics
Date: 
Sun, 27 Dec 1998 23:55:20 GMT
Viewed: 
1261 times
  
I'm joining this thread a little late, so sorry if any of this has already
been stated...

For "passive" sensors, the RCX measures a voltage level, but since there's
a pullup you may not get what you expect.  If memory serves, the RCX ADC
uses a 5.0V reference and a 10K pullup.  This means that a 10K resistor
across passive sensor contacts would read about half (512 in raw, 50 in
percent mode).

CdS cells are essentially a light controlled variable resistor, so they
work very nicely.

Supplying a "voltage" to the sensor inputs may give you surprising results
unless you take into account the effects of the pullup resistor (or happen
to have an "ideal" voltage source).

Dave


In article <40cf404b.3686a86e@aol.com>, lego-robotics@crynwr.com wrote:

After experimenting with various photo sensors, it appears that resistance is
what is measured.  Solar cells produce no change in readings, but CdS photo
resisters do.

I managed to hook up a BASIC STAMP (a small microcomputer by Parallax) to one
of the input ports using an LED (using pulse width modulation to vary
brightness) and a photoresister.  The idea is to use the light input to signal
changes in the STAMP - perhaps touch sensors - the STAMP has 7 inputs left
over.

The problem is that the readings on the RCX fluxuate too much.  I figure that
with some creative programming, I might can get 3, maybe 4 identifiable
readings.  I'll look for an octocoupler that uses resistance.  Maybe that will
give me a more stable reading.

chris

--
reply to: dbaum at enteract dot com



Message is in Reply To:
  Voltage or resistance
 
After experimenting with various photo sensors, it appears that resistance is what is measured. Solar cells produce no change in readings, but CdS photo resisters do. I managed to hook up a BASIC STAMP (a small microcomputer by Parallax) to one of (...) (26 years ago, 27-Dec-98, to lugnet.robotics)

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