which pressure mats do you use

Hey Vaugh

Looks like a neat little sensor. I'm not sure how I would hook it up to my HAI omniproII though. Probably need to get you to spread the vcrib love around to HAI panels and Upb. Haha.
 
Do these require power in order to work? I am wondering if these could be used under couch pillows, etc. Would love to hook these up to DS10A's.
 
Dan, they are just a resistive material.

I have two of them. Used to use them under the couch cushions. I didn't think to put them on the stairs...great idea!

You can hook them to a DS10A...but you'd have to figure out the delta R change for the load you are looking at.

I got around it by hooking them up to a microcontroller, which was hooked into my server. Then I had my baseline weight from the cushion. Then I had my wife sit on it (she's lighter then myself). I split the difference to get some hysteresis. Then, if someone sat down, I used that as a "perfect" occupancy sensor as if you are sitting, you are there!

I just think using the DS10A will be too much trouble. I was going to use them under the bed as well...but after finding the cheap pads over at Harbor Freight, I've been using those for the more "volumous" areas (you can sit just about anywhere on the bed...so it would take too many strips to fill it in...the large pads work well enough for a bed)

--Dan
 
Great info, thanks! Do you have a link to the HF pads? Did you put then under the mattress ? I am interested in doing that as well.
 
The United Security ones are a bit pricey.

909 mat (24"x36") - $154.00
960 mat (24"x60") - $215.60
925 roll (25' long) - $335.85

I'm using talking doormats. Cut off the sound box, uses the two leads as a contact closure device. Cheap and easy, especially right after Halloween. :) Probably the Harbor Freight ones are of similar quality, based on the price. I have had to re-solder the leads a couple times. Would love to find something intermediate in quality and price, though.
 
Dan (electron) said:
Do these require power in order to work? I am wondering if these could be used under couch pillows, etc. Would love to hook these up to DS10A's.
Click to expand...


You can hook them to a DS10A super easy, BUT you are losing some sensitivity control and have to put a resistor inline if you want to change it. I now use them via the Phidget 888 and then I can set the analog sensitivity levels so I can make it pet immune.

For a chair/couch, the weight of the pillow may set it off on a DS10A and you would probably have to use a resistor...


Vaughn
 
phenix said:
Is this the Harbor Freight Mat? http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/disp...temnumber=96481

how do you hook them to your panel?
Click to expand...

Yes, that's the one.

As for how I hook it to my panel...I don't. I actually wired a DS10A in place of the included Alarm device...which does anyone want to buy a few "alarm things" that make noise upon a contact closing? haha...

But for the cost, it's worth it to buy it, toss out the alarm thing (I toss them into a box...never know when you need some junk). If it wears out...oh well, it was cheap.

--Dan
 
Dan (electron) said:
Great info, thanks! Do you have a link to the HF pads? Did you put then under the mattress ? I am interested in doing that as well.
Click to expand...

Dan,

I did a test a while ago under the matress. It works quite well. I had two in there, one for each side of the bed. I want to get a few more made up and hooked in for the bed, as then I can "tell" who got out of bed and how the lights need to act in the master bathroom, during the night.

Right now, I'm using then under mats in the bathrooms, so I can tell occupancy on the "crappa". Works very well for this. Eliminated a few motion sensors by doing this. I also wanted to use them under the cushions on the couch, but the new couch has attached cushions...so I'm back to doing something else...don't know what yet.

One idea for the ends of the couch, is hooking a DS10A to the part that flips up (I saw that someone else had did that). For the middle seats, where there is no feet flipping "things", I've been thinking of getting something like these:
Round
Square
And putting it between the cushions...so if someone sits down, it will alleviate the force on it...which if I can find where the movers put my old circuit...I'd just have to run a wire up under the couch and start taking readings again.

--Dan
 
jdale said:
The United Security ones are a bit pricey.

909 mat (24"x36") - $154.00
960 mat (24"x60") - $215.60
925 roll (25' long) - $335.85

I'm using talking doormats. Cut off the sound box, uses the two leads as a contact closure device. Cheap and easy, especially right after Halloween. :) Probably the Harbor Freight ones are of similar quality, based on the price. I have had to re-solder the leads a couple times. Would love to find something intermediate in quality and price, though.
Click to expand...

Not sure where you got those prices from but they are way over priced. You can get them cheaper other places.
 
ASIHome said:
Not sure where you got those prices from but they are way over priced. You can get them cheaper other places.
Click to expand...

I requested a quote directly from United Security and that is what they told me. Agreed they are a bit much. Any suggestions on where to get similar quality elsewhere?
 
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