Follow Me Christmas Tree

Intro: Follow Me Christmas Tree

Follow Me Christmas Tree follows a human passing by (within about 12 feet). An Arduino Uno and Adafruit 8x8 thermal camera are the primary components used to make this happen.

STEP 1:

Cut two 16" x 16" squares of 1/4" plywood. Mark the center of the plywood and drill holes for the servo horn. Drill 1/8" holes in the servo horn. Attach the servo horn to the plywood. 3d print two large servo mounts and one sensor mount.

STEP 2:

Attach the giant servo (with shaft at the center of the second sheet of plywood). Attach springs (two in series) to plywood. The springs are needed to keep tension on the rotating piece of plywood. Without tension, the servo motor tends to "overshoot" the desired location, then overcorrect--oscillate madly.

STEP 3:

Wire according to the schematic. The three led's are not required, just useful in helping to see that the sensor is accurately detecting a human. Go to my thermal instructable for more details about how the thermal sensor works. Load the "follow me christma tree" sketch into the Arduino.

STEP 4:

Attach the sensor to the top piece of plywood. Secure the servo horn to the servo motor.

STEP 5:

Decorate to suit. I used poster putty to secure google eyes to ornaments, ornaments to tree limbs and mouth/nose to tree limbs. Secure the tree to the upper piece of plywood (I used duct tape).

Enjoy!

Comments

[shalnachywyt]

Back in the early 2000s, when I was still working, one of my co-workers brought in one of those "talking" Christmas trees that suddenly started when someone went past. Scared the CRAP out of visitors. Everyone hated that thing. We finally convinced her to take it home.