WEEK 8: USEFUL SENSORS

Unconscious competence is ideal, where users don't have to think about the tasks that they're doing.

How does the user interact with your product? punch, step, duck, swing

Sensors that could match those?

What is the product tracking? technique, speed, accuracy, aim, power, agility

A user interface is like a joke. If you have to explain it, it's not that good.

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Relevant Sensors

Accelerometer

MEMS chip, measures acceleration = g force

weight = mass x downward acceleration (from gravity)

Acceleration = change in distance / change in time

Force = F = ma -> a = F/m

Gyroscope

Usually same chip as accelerometer

Degrees per second = 1RPM

Lever

Torque = Force x Length

Sensor data fusion and Digital Motion Processors (DMP)

Fusing both sets of data will give more accurate data

Complimentary filter, the onboard DMP -> dmp_example code

Ultrasonic

Can track feet positioning

Reflectance: sensing distance

Force sensitive resistors (FSR's) & Membrane Potentiometers

Expensive, too much force will destroy them

Velostat!!!!

Polymeric foil, conductive form of carbon, can be manipulated to be a force sensor

There's velostatic coil that plots data when stretched, can be used to measure punches, resistance etc, available from adafruit, can be cut, laser cut

Sliders

Can be used to move things smoothly, come in rotary knob forms or linear forms

Barometric Pressure

Can track large areas, good for checking changes in environment, measures pressure

Biometrics- pulse/ heart rate

Pretty cheap, they work on reflectance, shines light into vein