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Subject: 
Re: Design wanted: Touch sensor for passing trains
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.robotics, lugnet.trains
Date: 
Wed, 29 Dec 1999 19:31:55 GMT
Viewed: 
1331 times
  
"Carl M. Kadie" <carlk@msn.com> wrote in message
news:FnHCMC.KzF@lugnet.com...

Does anyone have a design for using a touch sensor to detect a train
passing?

Thanks for all the suggestions. I've refined my goals a bit:
     I'd like to use just Lego parts.
     I don't mind of the sensor is conspicuous.
     I don't mind modifying the train to make it more detectable.
     I don't want it to not notice a train going by.

This web page shows 3 pictures of my first attempt:
http://kd.dynip.com/kadie/v4/Construction/Trains/TrainTouchSensor01.htm

The train has a "stick" sticking out. There is a "windmill" on the side of
the track. When the stick hits the windmill, the windmill turns, changing
the state of the touch sensor.

Problems: Sometimes the windmill causes derailment. The windmill sometimes
gets knocked down by the stick.

I'm hopeful that the design can be refined to work more smoothly.

Any additional input (or refinements) would be gratefully received.

- Carl

(I tried using the standard light sensor aimed at the side of the train. But
even with code to calibrate it, it would not notice trains about 1/3 of the
time.)



Message has 1 Reply:
  Re: Design wanted: Touch sensor for passing trains
 
I've build the design from Ted Michon. It is working great. With Ted's permission, I've put his note on the web at (URL) to everyone, Carl (25 years ago, 31-Dec-99, to lugnet.robotics, lugnet.trains)

Message is in Reply To:
  Design wanted: Touch sensor for passing trains
 
I'm using Mindstorms to control Lego trains. Does anyone have a design for using a touch sensor to detect a train passing? My intuition is that the touch sensor could be more reliable than the light sensor (plus I have two touch sensors and only one (...) (25 years ago, 29-Dec-99, to lugnet.robotics, lugnet.trains)

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