Avatar PlaNT (Touch Sensitive)

It is an avatar plant with LEDs all around. Once the plant is touched, LED turns on. You only need to use several LEDs and resistors with arduino. Of course, if you want to light up an avatar  forest, you can also connect all plants together.

Step 1: Preparation

Skills:
+ basic soldering
+ zero programming skills

Time：30 minutes

Materials：
+ a plant
+ an Arduino
+ 4-10 LEDs
+ resistors ( one 10k Ω  and  4-10 220Ω  if it is a red LED)
+ dozens of  jumper wires
* We highly recommend you to use smaller LEDs such as 3 mm LED and thinner  jumper wire so they can be nicely hiden in the plant.

Tools:
+ Soldering iron and solder

Step 2: Soldering

Here we used 4 LEDs for a small plant.
+ blend both legs of all LEDs horizentally
+ solder both legs with jumper wires and a 220 Ω resistor on either side.
   ( Don‘t forget to take a look at the long (+)  and short (-)  legs of LEDs. Legs with the same polarity should be placed in the same side)  

Step 3: Build the Circuit on Arduino

Above is the circuit you will be creating.
+ connect LEDs to PWM pin like D3 and to the ground
+ connect a 10k resistor to D8 and D7
+ connect a wire to D8 and to the plant in its stem

Step 4: Complete Programming on Mind+

Mind+ is a free graphical programming software for Arduino, specially for artists and DIY enthusiasts without programming background.
Instead of writing codes on IDE, you can easily make a program with only 3 software modules for this project, Capacity Sensor, IF and LED.
Capacity Sensor--  to detect if a hand touch the plant
IF -- to evaluate the condition
LED -- If a hand touch the plant, then LED lights up.

You can download our free software Mind+ (available on windows, Mac and Linux) and follow the instruction in the picture above.

Step 5: Place LEDs on the Plant

The final step is to place LEDs nicely the place. Better to hide it under leaves so people won't easily regconize them.
If your light is not stable, try to connect the electronity on the ground, like charge your laptop.

Comments

[chiragb10]

I want to know in detail hoe this things works actually there is nothing mentioned about the power source . i have been thinking of making same kind of project . so i hope u cant help me out with the basic principle and working of this DIY

[BismillahM]

find out similar articles here

[Akin Yildiz]

i will be making testing this project out this week. i assume you can touch any part of the plant and the LEDs should turn on. not just the stem the cable is attached.?

[elizabethingham1]

Neat project. Fav

[Frogboy1]

Mimosa pudica, It's a real plant that is touch sensitive! If you lazy and or don't have the parts to make this lol

[Mind_Plus]

You can find any plant to make this project, preferably plant with more water on the stem so it is more conductive.

[rexchen80]

real funny project!!! like a avatar mushroom at movie
the software is new one?never meet before but looks nice

[Mind_Plus]

So nice that you like it. Mindplus is a graphical programming tool for Arduino. We've developed 50+ pre-designed software modules to facilitate DIY enthusiasts without programming background. If you wanna explore more, please check out other tutorial on our website. http://www.mindplus.cc/?page_id=1243