What you need?
Elements:
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- Power – 1
- IR set – 1
- LED – 1
- LED wire – 1
Craft material:
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- Project paper
- Paper pipe
- Colors of your choice
The making
Step 1
Make a platform of height 3 cms using the project paper. Choose length and width according to your project plan. Color it to make it look beautiful. You can draw roads, greens etc. of your own imaginations.
Make a hole in the box of the size so that the paper pipe can be inserted into it. The hole should hold the pipe tight.
Make two holes so the Sensor LEDs of the IR element can be placed through them.
Location of the holes may depend on the design of the project you are making.
Step 2
Take a paper pipe and cut either of the ends by 3 cm and upto 2/3rd only. Bend the cut from the joined part.
Step 3
Connect the elements and prepare the circuit as shown here.
The LED should turn on when you bring your hand near to the sensor LEDs. Use the potentiometer to adjust the distance.
Push the circuit along with the power bank inside the platform. Place the Sensor LEDs through the pairs of the holes.
Pass the LED wire through the straw hole and pass it through the straw, keeping the cut portion at top. The LED will be visible at the top edge of the paper straw.
Your IR sensor based smart streetlight project is ready. The streetlight should turn on as a toy vehicle passes on the Sensor LEDs and will turn off when gone.
How does it work?
Do you know how the IR works? Checkout here.
The IR sensor will detect a vehicle, or human or animal, passing on the road as object. As the IR detects an object, it will send the signal to the LED element and light will turn on. The LED will turn off after the object goes off.
Advantages when implemented in the real world.
Streetlight, turned on only when required, will save a lot of energy. Reduced energy consumption will help reduce carbon footprint and global working.
So your tiny invention can solve a huge problem!
What else can you do with this same circuit combination?
Share your ideas and project photos here.