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Ant Detecting Sensors

AntNick

May 2, 2017
4
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May 2, 2017
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Hi,
I am an artist who is looking to conduct experiments on a colony of ants. I want to create sensor pads which will pick up whether an ant has walked over them (I would need a lot of sensors in a relatively small area). After doing some research I've gathered that force sensitive resisters might be an effective and possibly cheap way of me achieving this, however, my research so far has led me to believe that many of the standard models won't pick up such a small weight (on average, 1-5 milligrams). Are there force sensitive resistors that are able to pick up such a small force? And if not, are there any other ways that you think I can achieve this?
Thank you,
Nick
 

OBW0549

Jul 5, 2016
157
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Jul 5, 2016
Messages
157
Are there force sensitive resistors that are able to pick up such a small force?
I don't believe so.

And if not, are there any other ways that you think I can achieve this?
It's possible that a piezo film sensor could respond to the pitter-patter of little feet as ants scurry across. Amazon.com sells them, at least on this side of the pond.

Given the extremely small vibration amplitudes involved, each sensor would have to be fed into a high-gain amplifier to get usable signal levels.
 

duke37

Jan 9, 2011
5,364
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Jan 9, 2011
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5,364
Try a white board and look at the reflection when an ant walks over it.
 

AntNick

May 2, 2017
4
Joined
May 2, 2017
Messages
4
I don't believe so.


It's possible that a piezo film sensor could respond to the pitter-patter of little feet as ants scurry across. Amazon.com sells them, at least on this side of the pond.

Given the extremely small vibration amplitudes involved, each sensor would have to be fed into a high-gain amplifier to get usable signal levels.



Thank you very much for the advise. I'm hopefully going to be working with someone more skilled to help me put the device together so I will pitch this to them. The film sensors are available over here and not at a bad price so I'm definitely going to look into that.

Thanks again,

Nick
 

Externet

Aug 24, 2009
891
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Aug 24, 2009
Messages
891
It is so simple and common that did not find a suitable tutorial.
Perhaps this ? ---->
With extras at the right column.
Take it as a customer entering a store chiming by interrupting a light beam by the door. Very shrunk to ant size.
 

AntNick

May 2, 2017
4
Joined
May 2, 2017
Messages
4
It is so simple and common that did not find a suitable tutorial.
Perhaps this ? ---->
With extras at the right column.
Take it as a customer entering a store chiming by interrupting a light beam by the door. Very shrunk to ant size.

Thank you very much I can definitely see how that could work and I've found some for pretty cheap.
 
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