if you wanted to get more funky replace switches with optical encoders
tab sticking down
opto sideways, tab moves through opto
all done

you sure you guys need the milisecond timing and stuff about people slowly
stepping on it things like that?


-----Original Message-----
From: pic microcontroller discussion list
[mailto:PICLIST@MITVMA.MIT.EDU]On Behalf Of Russell McMahon
Sent: Saturday, June 12, 2004 7:15 PM
To: PICLIST@MITVMA.MIT.EDU
Subject: Re: [EE:] Cheap contact sensors?


>As students, we have a great deal more time
> than money so we can afford to invest lots of time in this :).

Aha.
Harder but cheaper ...

Main panel sits in a secondary panel - still quite thin. Tact switch set
into hole in base (or possibly switches at each corner - or at several
places across pad - probably 5 is ideal) is/are activated by downwards
pressure on pad BUT completely protected against any amount of force as
system bottoms out before switch reaches allowable max travel. Cheap,
potentially robust.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
      |                    |                      |
XXOXXXXXXOXXXXXXXOXX

View with constant width font.
X is pad
O is tact switch set into lower pad.
| is switch actuator

At full compression switches are safe

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXOXXXXXXOXXXXXXXOXX


        RM

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