This is the second instructable of the series of instructables where I show you how to get started with grove sensors and an Adruino. In the previous instructable I showed you how to get started with a Hall Sensor which is a magnetic field sensor (don't forget to check that out). In this instructable I'm going to show you how to get started with a Grove IR Distance Interrupter.

The Grove IR Distance Interrupter is a proximity sensor just like the ultrasonic senor which I showed you a few days back, but instead of a ultrasonic sound this uses IR (infra red) to project a beam and waits for a reflected beam.

So lets get started....

Step 1: Tools and Components

All that you need to get started is

Arduino UNO
Grove IR Distance Interrupter
BreadBoard LED
Jumper wires

The Grove IR Distance Interrupter can be brought form Seeed Studio.

Step 2: Circuit

Now its time to hook up the connections, the connections goes as follows -

VCC => Arduino +5v
Gnd => Arduino
Gnd Sig => Arduino D2

Then upload the code below to check the connections.

void setup()  {
  Serial.begin(9600);
  pinMode(2,INPUT);
}
void loop()  {
  while(1)  {
    delay(500);
    if(digitalRead(2)==LOW)  {
      Serial.println("Something in range");
    }
    else  {
      Serial.println("Nothing in range");
    }
  }

}

The above code will output "Something in range" when any object is in its range or will output "Nothing in range" when nothing is in its range.

Step 3: Control and LED

In this step I'm going to show you how to control an LED, such that when you bring a object close to the Sensor the LED will glow.

Connect the anode of the led to digital pin 4 and the cathode to Gnd. After connecting the LED upload the code -

void setup()  {
  Serial.begin(9600);
  pinMode(2,INPUT);
  pinMode(2,OUTPUT);
}

void loop()  {
  while(1)  {
    delay(500);
    if(digitalRead(2)==LOW)  {
      Serial.println("Magnet in range");
      digitalWrite(4,HIGH);

    }
    else  {
      Serial.println("Magnet out of range");
      digitalWrite(4,LOW);
    }
  }

}