Versatile and Low Cost Digital Counter

Step 5 Collect Data!

My reed switch has a adhesive backing... So go ahead and stick where you want.

I collected from two doors on campus. The first as an entrance to my school's Student Union. I placed it there for one hour during lunch. I dropped off my cargo and grabbed a "Boston Dog" from a nearby restaurant... An hour later - 424. Minus 1 from me opening the door.

So that's 62 minutes and 423 openings of said door. that's about 6.82 openings per lunch minute (12:00-1:00) on monday. Of course, a suitable sample would be to return the next mondays, collect the same data and then calculate a mean, tolerance etc. But hey, I don't have a month to do that - nor do I want to use this to calculate how many times per hour a specific door opens.

Door two is not as exciting.... Same time period - on a teusday...It's a lonely door in the back of the Engineering building. It goes from the atrium to the back service area that leads to the parking lots... A sad 23 in 58 minutes. 2.52 opening/lunch minute. Which makes sense, why go out for food when you can stay at a table in the atrium studying for your next exam you're likely to fail :P

Comments

[DIYShared]

I have used the concept to make a Measuring Wheel. As a matter of fact I didn't know your project before. True! Anyway you did it first. http://diyshared.com/MeasuringWheel/MeasuringWheel.htm

[DIYShared]

That's better: http://diyshared.com/MeasuringWheel/MeasuringWheel.htm

[aessam1]

there is a problem in most calculators
Most of them automatically close after a while to save the battery
so these calculators can only be used in fast counting

[unRheal]

Ok, I know this was from Sept, 2006... but I thought I'd point it out anyway... 23 openings in 58 minutes isn't 2.52 openings per minute ... you did it upside down - 23/58, not 58/23... think about it - 2 openings per minute for an hour would be 120 openings. I know, it's an easy mistake to make when you're just humming along and stuff... but as I say, just thought I'd point it out, for clarity's sake... Cheers :)