I just completed my prototype of suggestion #5. I used my arduino PWM output to control an LED. I hacked one of the airwick motion sensors and connected to my arduino. When there is no motion, it dims the LED to a minimum level. If someone walks in the room, it ramps up to full brightness. After about 20 seconds, it ramps back down to the minimum level.
This is great for a bathroom or someplace you would want to go to late at night, but don't want to be blinded by turning on a light switch. I plan to post an instructable soon.
I would be among the first to agree that hacking or re-purposing is not only fun but satisfying and sometimes even useful but......... (there is always a but, isn't there!) In this case you do it because you can and it is useful but a waste of a good arduino! Items that already do this can be bought for less than $10 US. I've got some at strategic locations all over the house and I no longer fuss about every stinking light in the house being constantly on at night with no one in the room!
The electronics in the Air Wick Freshmatic Compact i-Motion air freshener can be used for a number of projects. If you search "PIR", which stands for Passive InfraRed, you can see how similar sensors have been used by others in instructables.
Some ideas: 1. A camera that is triggered by motion. Hunters use these to scout areas. They are also used for car and home security.
2. The output of the PIR sensor can be used to drive a transistor set around an intercom system's talk button. This allows you to listen in whenever someone is at your door. You can also use it as the basis of an automatic doorbell.
3. They can be used in a system to count traffic or foot traffic in front of your house.
4. They can be used to detect pets so as to release food/water or to trigger an alert to scare the animal away from an area.
5. They can be used to turn lights on in a room if a person enters.
6. If 3 of the sensors were setup in an area and the sensor's analog signal was used with ADC to detect the strength of the IR disturbance for each sensor, you could determine the location of a person in the area using trilateration. This would be tricky.
7. They can be used in a number of Halloween props to initiate some action when people approach.
8. It could be used to create "music" in response to movement in the room.
9. I saw one application where the air freshener was replaced with an accelerant and used to shoot flame when someone came by. I do not recommend this.
First, you should realize that it isn't a motion sensor, it is a light sensor. It triggers when a shadow crosses it, or when the light in the room changes, not from motion. I don't have any ideas though. I bought one to play with also. I'm just waiting for it to finish off the spray before i break it down.
I you could rig up a way for it to spray water instead of air freshner stuff.. you could use it to keep a cat away from "off limits" areas. Place the sprayer in an enterance to the off limits area so the cat gets sprayed with water when he gets too close!
Comments
10 years ago
I just completed my prototype of suggestion #5. I used my arduino PWM output to control an LED. I hacked one of the airwick motion sensors and connected to my arduino. When there is no motion, it dims the LED to a minimum level. If someone walks in the room, it ramps up to full brightness. After about 20 seconds, it ramps back down to the minimum level.
This is great for a bathroom or someplace you would want to go to late at night, but don't want to be blinded by turning on a light switch. I plan to post an instructable soon.
Answer 10 years ago
I would be among the first to agree that hacking or re-purposing is not only fun but satisfying and sometimes even useful but......... (there is always a but, isn't there!) In this case you do it because you can and it is useful but a waste of a good arduino! Items that already do this can be bought for less than $10 US. I've got some at strategic locations all over the house and I no longer fuss about every stinking light in the house being constantly on at night with no one in the room!
Answer 10 years ago
I have now posted my instructable: https://www.instructables.com/id/Repurposing-a-115-VAC-airwick-motion-sensor/
10 years ago
The electronics in the Air Wick Freshmatic Compact i-Motion air freshener can be used for a number of projects. If you search "PIR", which stands for Passive InfraRed, you can see how similar sensors have been used by others in instructables.
Some ideas:
1. A camera that is triggered by motion. Hunters use these to scout
areas. They are also used for car and home security.
2. The output of the PIR sensor can be used to drive a transistor set
around an intercom system's talk button. This allows you to listen in
whenever someone is at your door. You can also use it as the basis
of an automatic doorbell.
3. They can be used in a system to count traffic or foot traffic in front
of your house.
4. They can be used to detect pets so as to release food/water or
to trigger an alert to scare the animal away from an area.
5. They can be used to turn lights on in a room if a person enters.
6. If 3 of the sensors were setup in an area and the sensor's analog signal
was used with ADC to detect the strength of the IR disturbance
for each sensor, you could determine the location of a person in
the area using trilateration. This would be tricky.
7. They can be used in a number of Halloween props to initiate some
action when people approach.
8. It could be used to create "music" in response to movement in
the room.
9. I saw one application where the air freshener was replaced with
an accelerant and used to shoot flame when someone came by.
I do not recommend this.
I hope this gives you some ideas.
12 years ago
First, you should realize that it isn't a motion sensor, it is a light sensor. It triggers when a shadow crosses it, or when the light in the room changes, not from motion. I don't have any ideas though. I bought one to play with also. I'm just waiting for it to finish off the spray before i break it down.
Answer 10 years ago
Actually the Air Wick Freshmatic Compact i-Motion air freshener has a motion sensor (PIR sensor). The Glade product uses a shadow sensor.
See https://www.instructables.com/id/Re-purposing-an-Air-Wick-Freshmatic-Compact-i-Moti for the details.
11 years ago
I you could rig up a way for it to spray water instead of air freshner stuff.. you could use it to keep a cat away from "off limits" areas. Place the sprayer in an enterance to the off limits area so the cat gets sprayed with water when he gets too close!
12 years ago
NO CAPS.