First fun, but pointless UPB project

[Jrock]

I installed my OIIe about 2 weeks ago and have been planning out some UPB stuff (haven't actually done anything with UPB yet).

The main hallway in my house is 13' long and 3' wide. I have been planning on replacing the one light that is currently there with 4 or 5 recessed lights, evenly spaced, but just haven't gotten around to it. I was thinking it would be cool to put a dimming module at each light along with a small curtain motion sensor. Something like the Visonic Spy 4, possibly mounted inside the can. I can then program it so each light fades on as you walk under it, then fades off as you get further away. If I go with 5 lights they will be spaced about 30" apart. Is that too close for this to work properly?

Any input, comments, suggestions are welcome!

-Jeff

edit: Just thought about how mounting a motion sensor inside the can is not a good idea! Still open to suggestions though.

 

[electron]

If you have access to the floor joists, you could use the SureAction pulsor sensors. Invisible, and works well.

 

[electron]

There is also a video on youtube of a guy who just did that with his stairs, using IR beams.

 

[Steve]

IMHO unless someone is walking really slow just to see the coolness of it, it won't work well, lights are too close. 30" is like one stride and I would think most people would complete strobe before the PIR detected and light came on (especially with ramp - since it 'feels' like an additional delay). Also I don't think the sensors IN the can is a good idea. For one I don't know how you would mount it and two I think it would get too hot in there. Maybe you would be netter off diving it into two halves and put 3 sensors - one on each end and one in the middle. Put them on the very ends of the hallway. When one trips light up that half then when they hit the middle one light up the next half and shut previous. You would also need some logic so that when you hit the far end it doesn't try to relight the half you just came from. I've never done this so just take my opinion for what it's worth.

 

[Quixote_1]

Maybe you could try to rig something up with ultrasonic range-finders. I just received the Maxbotix LV-MaxSonar-EZ1, but I'm still experimenting with it and haven't been successful enough to rig up anything useful (or functional, for that matter).
I had a pretty cool idea the other week that is similar to yours, but for a larger room -- I'd like to eventually try to set up a grid of these sensors, determine the exact position of an occupant of a room (x,y) and use that for lighting somehow. Not super useful, but it would be a very odd sensation to have pot-lights following you around like a spotlight. Of course, the problem with that setup is that it loses it's functionality if there is more than one person in the room.

 

[Jrock]

Thanks for all your replies!

Dan - I have an unfinished basement so I definitely have access to the floor joists. I think the pulse sensors may be my best option.

Quixote_1 - The ultrasonic range-finders seem like a great option too, but may be too complicated to get working properly. I would be very interested in following your progress. Your project sound like it might be more fun than mine!

Steve - Your idea may be the easiest since I have never worked with the other two types of sensors mentioned. Mounting them in the can is definitely out of the question, but if they were mounted directly next to the can it may still be too hot. I am starting to wonder if motion sensors will work properly at all though if they are mounted too close to a heat source.

Thanks again!
-Jeff