Hi Guys I'm a licensed Electrician i usually deal witch wiring Commercial Business or houses so small electronics is pretty new to me I've never used an adreno board or built any robots but i understand circuits and voltages and resistances. So that my experience level now let me explain what i'm trying to do and why if you don't care about the why just scroll down to the question.
The Why
About a year ago my mother was diagnosed with a form of dementia she has a hard time remembering any longer then 10 mins its very sad and frustrating at times she also has been a smoker for 50 years and I've tried helping her quit but she gets depressed and locks her self in her room and and tells me she has nothing to live for if she cant smoke not remembering the fact that it was her idea to quit it was like groundhog day every day would have to explain to her the situation. finally I decided that I would rather have her moving around the house happy and smoking then locked in her room all day. shes 72 she still has some years left in her i would like her to enjoy them. but i also don't want her to over smoke since she cant remember the last cigarettes' she had if i give her a pack it will be gone in a day and I'm trying to limit her to half a pack a day i feel that is a good compromise and since i cant always be around and hand her cigarettes' and i feel its demeaning to have her begging me for cigarettes' and also annoying to me every 20 mins have her asking i wanted to build a cigarettes' dispenser that would shout out a cigarettes' every hour. my design if fairy simple and i think have the design part figured out just a timer board and an actuator to push out the cigarettes every hour. but then i realize what if she hasn't taking the cigarette yet or we are out of the house doing something how can i stop it from just keep pushing them out so i thought a sensor or a momentary switch.
The Question
So here is the Question what would be the best way to detect the cigarette still on dispenser? the weight of the cigarette is the problem they are so light weight that i need something that can detect less then a gram of force. a momentary switch with a long lever? they have these thin film sensors that react to force but i need to add resistors and adreno board? even thought of maybe a photo eye that would detect light and if the cigarette covers up a hole that was allowing light to enter the senor? what do you guys think anyone with experience using these type of sensors or that have a better idea please comment any help would be appreciated.
The Why
About a year ago my mother was diagnosed with a form of dementia she has a hard time remembering any longer then 10 mins its very sad and frustrating at times she also has been a smoker for 50 years and I've tried helping her quit but she gets depressed and locks her self in her room and and tells me she has nothing to live for if she cant smoke not remembering the fact that it was her idea to quit it was like groundhog day every day would have to explain to her the situation. finally I decided that I would rather have her moving around the house happy and smoking then locked in her room all day. shes 72 she still has some years left in her i would like her to enjoy them. but i also don't want her to over smoke since she cant remember the last cigarettes' she had if i give her a pack it will be gone in a day and I'm trying to limit her to half a pack a day i feel that is a good compromise and since i cant always be around and hand her cigarettes' and i feel its demeaning to have her begging me for cigarettes' and also annoying to me every 20 mins have her asking i wanted to build a cigarettes' dispenser that would shout out a cigarettes' every hour. my design if fairy simple and i think have the design part figured out just a timer board and an actuator to push out the cigarettes every hour. but then i realize what if she hasn't taking the cigarette yet or we are out of the house doing something how can i stop it from just keep pushing them out so i thought a sensor or a momentary switch.
The Question
So here is the Question what would be the best way to detect the cigarette still on dispenser? the weight of the cigarette is the problem they are so light weight that i need something that can detect less then a gram of force. a momentary switch with a long lever? they have these thin film sensors that react to force but i need to add resistors and adreno board? even thought of maybe a photo eye that would detect light and if the cigarette covers up a hole that was allowing light to enter the senor? what do you guys think anyone with experience using these type of sensors or that have a better idea please comment any help would be appreciated.