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Arduino Basics: PIR Sensors

by frenzy on February 16, 2011 Table of Contents Arduino Basics: PIR Sensors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Intro: Arduino Basics: PIR Sensors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Step 1: Supplies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Step 2: Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Step 3: Code . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . File Downloads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Step 4: Further Projectse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Related Instructables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 2 2 2 3 5 5 6 6

http://www.instructables.com/id/Arduino-Basics-PIR-Sensor/

Author:frenzy
I'm the QA engineer here at instructables. I make cool projects in between testing instructables.com to make sure it works awesomely. Give me your bugs!

Intro: Arduino Basics: PIR Sensors

Welcome to the next installment of Arduino Basics! This instructable will teach you how to use a PIR sensors with the arduino, and we wil build a simple motion detector!

Step 1: Supplies
For this instructable you will need the following: 1 arduino (with protoshield to make life easy) 1 LED of any color 1 PIR sensor from Parallax (you can find these at most radio shacks) Solid wire to hook it up

Step 2: Setup
The wiring is pretty simple, the PIR sensor has screen printed: + - out Hook the + to 5v, - to ground and out to pin 7 The take the LED and put power to pin 8 and ground to ground. If its confusing, take a look at the pictures!

http://www.instructables.com/id/Arduino-Basics-PIR-Sensor/

Step 3: Code
This code is lifted from the arduino.cc site here, the code I used is also attached.
/* * ////////////////////////////////////////////////// * //making sense of the Parallax PIR sensor's output * ////////////////////////////////////////////////// * * Switches a LED according to the state of the sensors output pin. * Determines the beginning and end of continuous motion sequences. * * @author: Kristian Gohlke / krigoo (_) gmail (_) com / http://krx.at * @date: 3. September 2006 * * kr1 (cleft) 2006 * released under a creative commons "Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0" license * http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/de/ * * * The Parallax PIR Sensor is an easy to use digital infrared motion sensor module. * (http://www.parallax.com/detail.asp?product_id=555-28027) * * The sensor's output pin goes to HIGH if motion is present. * However, even if motion is present it goes to LOW from time to time, * which might give the impression no motion is present. * This program deals with this issue by ignoring LOW-phases shorter than a given time, * assuming continuous motion is present during these phases. * */ ///////////////////////////// //VARS //the time we give the sensor to calibrate (10-60 secs according to the datasheet) int calibrationTime = 30; //the time when the sensor outputs a low impulse long unsigned int lowIn; //the amount of milliseconds the sensor has to be low //before we assume all motion has stopped long unsigned int pause = 5000; boolean lockLow = true; boolean takeLowTime; int pirPin = 7; int ledPin = 8; //the digital pin connected to the PIR sensor's output

///////////////////////////// //SETUP void setup(){ Serial.begin(9600); pinMode(pirPin, INPUT); pinMode(ledPin, OUTPUT); digitalWrite(pirPin, LOW); //give the sensor some time to calibrate Serial.print("calibrating sensor "); for(int i = 0; i < calibrationTime; i++){ Serial.print(".");

http://www.instructables.com/id/Arduino-Basics-PIR-Sensor/

delay(1000); } Serial.println(" done"); Serial.println("SENSOR ACTIVE"); delay(50); } //////////////////////////// //LOOP void loop(){ if(digitalRead(pirPin) == HIGH){ digitalWrite(ledPin, HIGH); //the led visualizes the sensors output pin state if(lockLow){ //makes sure we wait for a transition to LOW before any further output is made: lockLow = false; Serial.println("---"); Serial.print("motion detected at "); Serial.print(millis()/1000); Serial.println(" sec"); delay(50); } takeLowTime = true; } if(digitalRead(pirPin) == LOW){ digitalWrite(ledPin, LOW); //the led visualizes the sensors output pin state if(takeLowTime){ lowIn = millis(); //save the time of the transition from high to LOW takeLowTime = false; //make sure this is only done at the start of a LOW phase } //if the sensor is low for more than the given pause, //we assume that no more motion is going to happen if(!lockLow & millis() - lowIn > pause){ //makes sure this block of code is only executed again after //a new motion sequence has been detected lockLow = true; Serial.print("motion ended at "); //output Serial.print((millis() - pause)/1000); Serial.println(" sec"); delay(50); } } }

You can see from the code, the sensor first calibrates itself and then watches for movement. When it detects movement, the blue light goes on. You can watch the serial monitor to see how long the movement lasts.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Arduino-Basics-PIR-Sensor/

File Downloads

pir.pde (3 KB) [NOTE: When saving, if you see .tmp as the file ext, rename it to 'pir.pde']

Step 4: Further Projectse

After these steps you have a very simple motion detector. From here you can use the PIR sensor to trigger events (like a siren or a text message that someone is in your room). I just chose to use it to protect my stunnaz from blue light fearing monsters. It seems to work so far.... Please post your PIR sensor projects below and stay tuned for even more Arduino Basics!

http://www.instructables.com/id/Arduino-Basics-PIR-Sensor/

Related Instructables

PIR Motion Sensor Tutorial by adafruit

Arduino Controlled Motion Sensor by LemonSlice

Squirt Arduino, motion activated water cannon by Jonathan Robson

PIR Alarm Arduino Motion Sensor (with Encasing) by chuck4747

Keychain camera with PIR motion detector controlled by Arduino chip (Photos) by janisalnis

Basics of the Arduino (Duemilanove) by vishalapr

Comments
20 comments Add Comment

USmarineforces says:

Oct 15, 2011. 4:52 AM REPLY its a nice project sir and very impresive. but sir' i have a question ahm im working with a project that uses wireless senors for security systems with an addressable alarm. can you tech me how these things well be built?

diy_bloke says:

Dec 10, 2011. 1:01 AM REPLY As frenzy has not replied yet, I am already going to ask you to be a bit more specific. Are you interested in just connecting wireless sensors or in building the entire system. In that case, what do you mean with 'adressable alarm'. Just a question out of interest (forgive me if I am completely off): are you by any chance Filipino? :-)

darrenervine says:

Apr 12, 2011. 8:49 PM REPLY how do you get this to send a txt message? I have made a motion activate camera and I am looking to get it to send me a text message or email when a picture is taken...any thoughts? thanks

Computothought says:
Going to do that on my pc. Just have to try it.

Feb 25, 2011. 1:59 PM REPLY

bertus52x11 says:
Did you get a new identity recently, or is this your standard Arduino outfit? Anyway, always good to read the basics...

Feb 16, 2011. 11:04 PM REPLY

Ghost Wolf says:

No you got it wrong you see he was trying to make arduinos less nerdy but.........it had the opposite affect :I

Feb 17, 2011. 11:41 AM REPLY

frenzy says:
the arduinos go WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Feb 17, 2011. 2:11 PM REPLY

Ghost Wolf says:

>.> that's was she said (see i can come up with great comments too)

Feb 17, 2011. 6:14 PM REPLY

frenzy says:

Feb 23, 2011. 5:59 PM REPLY

http://www.instructables.com/id/Arduino-Basics-PIR-Sensor/

Ghost Wolf says:

Sooooooooooo you like driving people crazy?

Feb 24, 2011. 7:30 AM REPLY

bertus52x11 says:
Mmm, on second thoughts, I guess you're right!

Feb 17, 2011. 1:54 PM REPLY

Ghost Wolf says:

It's a great project if you can make light up sunglasses though

Feb 17, 2011. 6:16 PM REPLY

account3r2 says:
if you are using fritzing, can you send me the download for the pir sensor?

Feb 18, 2011. 8:48 PM REPLY

frenzy says:
there is no download although adafruit has one in her fritzing tutorials. i just used the basic component with 3 pins and labeled it

Feb 23, 2011. 5:56 PM REPLY

lynne123 says:

Feb 21, 2011. 8:48 AM REPLY Hey frenzy, Great tutorial - very well explained. I could see how a heat sensor and arduino could be used for a project I have been working on. I got the parts but am woefully underexperienced to put it together. I am trying to get a thermal array sensor to run a small motor. I'm stuck. Got any suggestions on where to go for help?

account3r2 says:
are you using fritzing?

Feb 18, 2011. 8:26 PM REPLY

mhkabir says:
Yes he is.

Feb 18, 2011. 11:50 PM REPLY

maewert says:
Do you recommend we put a 220 ohm resistor between pin 8 and the LED to limit the current? Best Wishes

Feb 17, 2011. 7:35 AM REPLY

frenzy says:

Feb 17, 2011. 2:12 PM REPLY If you want to be the most correct about it yeah. I didn't and it probablly won't blow the led out but for something more precise, definitely.

rtty21 says:
Nice new glasses! awesome tutorial too!

Feb 17, 2011. 6:14 AM REPLY

http://www.instructables.com/id/Arduino-Basics-PIR-Sensor/