Hello guys,

So I have been prototyping with an Arduino an IR wand activated from a gyro to make sort of a harry potter laser game. The wand works and sends the signal, and now I need to build some sort of vest which receives the signal.

the problems are mainly 2.

- the signal from the wand needs to be pinpoint accurate and not just to hit any IR receiver in a certain range like any normal IR remote would do.

- I need to build a vest which detects if it has been hit by an IR signal. Sort of a shirt with detectors attached.

Now the first problem I already kinda know how to solve, I can simply use a lens to "concentrate" the IR, I just don't know which lens would do the job.

The second problem is of an entirely different level for me, I know how to build an IR receiver for Arduino but I have no idea whatsoever on how to do it on a whole surface,

if you guys have any suggestion they would be very welcome,

thank you!

 

No need to "cover the whole surface"

Your beam will always have a diameter, just place discrete sensors close enough together such that the beam always hits at least one.

The problem is going to be making a nice clean light beam, that's not easy.

 

No need to "cover the whole surface"

Your beam will always have a diameter, just place discrete sensors close enough together such that the beam always hits at least one.

The problem is going to be making a nice clean light beam, that's not easy.

thank you, I think I'm gonna go that way. Many "zones" on the vest each one relying on an IR sensor.

regarding the beam I was thinking that with an amplifier and a lens I could get some more range out of it. Atm I can do roughly 8 meters but I would very much like to get to at least 20 meters.

 

I'm building a "LaserTag" set and these flashlights have a good high power IR LED in them. Drive the LED with a FET/resistor from your Arduino pulse out.
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Tactica...810135?hash=item5b33d7e257:g:9zMAAOSwGYVXBMJO

The LED and lens assembly is used, and in front of that is a phone telephoto lens.
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Univers...565021?hash=item2136d0a85d:g:q2AAAOSwFmxaWEVq

Using a visible version to set it up first, it can shine a 50mm square picture of the LED on a wall at about 30 meters.
If you unfocus it,a bigger area is covered.


I have 3D printed some adapter parts.
The IR beam is modulated at 40kHz and an IR receiver (like in all those IR controlled DVDs etc) is fed to the receiving Arduino.
These parts are worth having a play with.

This link may help you a bit...
http://www.instructables.com/id/Duino-Tagger/

 

I'm building a "LaserTag" set and these flashlights have a good high power IR LED in them. Drive the LED with a FET/resistor from your Arduino pulse out.
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Tactica...810135?hash=item5b33d7e257:g:9zMAAOSwGYVXBMJO

The LED and lens assembly is used, and in front of that is a phone telephoto lens.
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Univers...565021?hash=item2136d0a85d:g:q2AAAOSwFmxaWEVq

Using a visible version to set it up first, it can shine a 50mm square picture of the LED on a wall at about 30 meters.
If you unfocus it,a bigger area is covered.

View attachment 149748
I have 3D printed some adapter parts.
The IR beam is modulated at 40kHz and an IR receiver (like in all those IR controlled DVDs etc) is fed to the receiving Arduino.
These parts are worth having a play with.

This link may help you a bit...
http://www.instructables.com/id/Duino-Tagger/

thank you for the answer, atm I am doing with some generic IR transmitter but yours seems like a much better option.

I am currently using a macro lens (which I don't think it's the correct thing to use, but atm it's the only one that fits in the wand), yours looks a lot more useful actually xD

the problem is my wand is like 32mm diameter and 250mm in length and I have to fit all the other electronics in it so I can't really find a lens that fits.

a the moment what is the maximum range that you can get from the IR gun? does it goes further than the 30 meters?

 

a the moment what is the maximum range that you can get from the IR gun? does it goes further than the 30 meters?

The range is probably 100 meters or more I think.
My son tried it out shooting a target made up of a number or IR receivers stuck on a large sheet of cardboard. Each receiver just drives a high intensity red LED mounted beside it so you can see a hit.
The target is hard to hit as you cannot see the IR spot but he is thinking laser tag sniper rifles...
The LEDs used are high power ones mounted on an aluminium disk, so they cay output a pretty intense pulse.
Get a couple of those flashlights, a visable one and an IR one, and try them out.
Try to get the same wavelength IR flashlight as the receivers use.

And there is nothing stopping you taking the lenses out of the housings to make the assembly thinner. The telescope has a focussing lens at the front so you can experiment with that to work out the spacing between lenses best suiting your wand.

 

And accelerometer applications mixed with magic, have you seen these?

I got one for my daughter and for my grandaughter last Christmas

 

The range is probably 100 meters or more I think.
My son tried it out shooting a target made up of a number or IR receivers stuck on a large sheet of cardboard. Each receiver just drives a high intensity red LED mounted beside it so you can see a hit.
The target is hard to hit as you cannot see the IR spot but he is thinking laser tag sniper rifles...
The LEDs used are high power ones mounted on an aluminium disk, so they cay output a pretty intense pulse.
Get a couple of those flashlights, a visable one and an IR one, and try them out.
Try to get the same wavelength IR flashlight as the receivers use.

And there is nothing stopping you taking the lenses out of the housings to make the assembly thinner. The telescope has a focussing lens at the front so you can experiment with that to work out the spacing between lenses best suiting your wand.

I ordered both the flashlight and the telephoto lens today, lets see what I can do

the shooting target is my next move, to see if the wand is actually any good and if I can get a precise shot.

btw laser tag sniper rifles sound super cool

And accelerometer applications mixed with magic, have you seen these?
I got one for my daughter and for my grandaughter last Christmas

yes that is kind of my idea, the wand has different spells which are gyro activated that give different colors/sounds. it's probably more convenient than a vest, although the vest looks much cooler

 

You may find adding an 18650 cell and a charger/battery protection board is a good power source.
I use these boards in the laser tag.

Just make sure you get the 6 connector type so it has a discharge protection built in. See at the back, there is cell (B) connections and load (OUT) connections. There are available for under $2 on Ebay.
With these you can charge your wand from USB, and an 18650 cell has a lot of capacity. My cells came from an old laptop battery. Often the cells are ok, just one has died, so there is a source of very cheap batteries.
Use a 3.3V Arduino Mini or similar.

 

You may find adding an 18650 cell and a charger/battery protection board is a good power source.
I use these boards in the laser tag.
View attachment 149775
Just make sure you get the 6 connector type so it has a discharge protection built in. See at the back, there is cell (B) connections and load (OUT) connections. There are available for under $2 on Ebay.
With these you can charge your wand from USB, and an 18650 cell has a lot of capacity. My cells came from an old laptop battery. Often the cells are ok, just one has died, so there is a source of very cheap batteries.
Use a 3.3V Arduino Mini or similar.

thank you, I was thinking of using an arduino nano with an 18650 and a voltage "booster" to get the 5v needed, but that takes a lot more space. My only concern is that with the 3.3v one the IR and RGB led will be less powerful/bright, do you think it's gonna make a difference?

 

thank you, I was thinking of using an arduino nano with an 18650 and a voltage "booster" to get the 5v needed, but that takes a lot more space. My only concern is that with the 3.3v one the IR and RGB led will be less powerful/bright, do you think it's gonna make a difference?

Not really.
You just adjust the series resistor value to get the required current through the LEDs.