5 Great Sensor Projects for your Urban Hacks

Technology

We’re deep in the middle of our Urban Sensor Hacks program (live hangout today!), and we thought we’d highlight some great sensor-related projects that you can try at home, so you can start exploring the world of DIY sensing.

 

Arduino EMF detector

ishot-3Do you have a haunting problem, or just want to make sure that secret government facility nearby isn’t flooding your town with energetic waves? This easy EMF detector could show Sam & Dean (the monster hunters, not the band) a thing or two about sensing. Check out the project here.

 

Build an LED Photometer

titleDid you know that, although they’re great for emitting light, LEDs are also capable of absorbing light? With a few simple components, you can build a device that’s capable of detecting sunrises, sunsets, and even haze and water vapor levels in the atmosphere. Check out the project here.

 

Sous Vide Cooker with Universal Controller

brmdsBNVHUneHyeBA sous vide immersion cooker using off-the-shelf parts plus some re-purposed elements to take sensor readings and adjust a heating element to keep an immersion bath at constant temperature. Get ready to wow your friends with perfectly-cooked food. Check out the project here.

 

Tropospheric Gas Detector

OdTfethIHNZ6ZA4uBuild a Tropospheric Gas Detector with two gas sensors. By using the MQ-2 and MQ-6 together, you can obtain accurate ground-level air pollution data. Check out the project here.

 

Earthquake Detector

baKdMbGuooiMU2X1An earthquake detector can be a useful home safety device because it alerts you to a quake some seconds before it happens. During an earthquake two kinds of waves are emitted from the centre: a small wave and a dangerous wave. The small wave is faster, so it is the first sign of the event if your house is located some kilometres away from the center. Check out the project here.

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Ken is the Grand Nagus of GeekDad.com. He's a husband and father from the SF Bay Area, and has written three books filled with projects for geeky parents and kids to share.

View more articles by Ken Denmead

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