http://www.acroname.com/robotics/parts/c_Sensors.html check it out, see those "distance detectors" ? well, there are articles on that same site on how to connect these to an OOPIC, a microcontroller. The sensors on that site are only capable of checking between 10 and 80 cm, so that's a bit far if you have like 2 drives, they will open both if you wave your hand in front. We would need like some receiver that can detect objects on 2 cm or something, than we can use it!
possibilities: endless. Why not make a keyboard with which you only need to "type" in the air?? would be so nice
We're getting closer..... got 2 CD drives next to each other; would be great to isolate the detector. I'm waiting for one that detects retinal movement---just look at the drive and it opens.... That, or voice command. Saw the 'flame detector' on that page. Now that would be novel. If your PC catches on fire, you could at least save the CD that's in the tray....
lol, yeah, I saw them to, but I thought of something like when short circuited, it removes the power automatically and then rings an alarm or something. But then again, what are the chances on fire inside the case eh What would be cool though is that the only way to op the CD-drive is to wave in front of it with your lighter, as magic
and yes, if it works this way: < we need to isolate it, but if it works this way: > we do not (I hope) still will be difficult to open 1 quickly, I think if I have these nice sensors, I'll just open both of them always at once, just to show off
http://www.aleph-usa.com/os_selection_reflective.html look at that, the first one seems pretty good for our case, but it's rather large to put at the side of the drive... mmmm... the second and third one seems simplier, as (I think) they act as a transistor / relay whenever an object comes in 5mm range (which is rather small, better 1 cm or 2 or so, but I can't find those)
Definetly the first one, we can easily mount it vertically, it does acts like a transistor, when there is an object in the range of 2 mm - 20mm, the output is active low, if not, output is active high... or something like that. Reaction time is less than 1.0mS (they say), so that's fast enough in my opinion . Then we connect the output to a pin of the PIC, which sends a command to the PC through RS232 when the pin has an active low value (object in the way), custom made software on the PC receives this command, and opens the CD-Drive. Simple, eh? Too bad they only have USA distributors
