Electronics Switch that triggers when someone blows on it

I am working with a design project at the moment. It is just a theoretical project, so I will not be making any circuits that work etc., but I need the name of a component (if it exists). The basic idea is a switch that triggers (let's say lights up an LED) whenever someone blows on it. It should be quite sensitive. Does such an electronic component exist? I would really like to know what it is called, as I need a name for it in the project description.

Thanks

 

Blowing just generally in its direction?

If you can convince them to blow down a tube a conventional pressure switch would be ideal.

 

someone else on here will know a componet that does that, but if you had a peice of metal that was on a really sensitive spring that would just touch another piece of metal, that would do the trick, something like tinfoil that bends really easy. Or a watermill type wheel that would turn when air was blown on it, and it could be light sensitive to movement sorta like a scroll wheel on a mouse.

 

This component has to be placed in a really cramped space, so building watermills and springy things are generally out of the question

 

Use a thermal switch? CO₂ level maybe OTT, humidity sensors maybe too slow.

 

I had a project like this when I was a kid, for some electronic birthday candles I think, we used a mic. Adjust its sensitivity so general noise doesn't set it off but blowing on it will...

if you've ever heard somebody blow on a mic it sounds like an explosion.

 

Oooh thats quite clever never would have though of using a mic, I would have used a thermistor setup in a potential divider. I'd use a resistor that matches the thermistors resistance at room temp. Then if the therm is blown on that will alter its resistance etc

 

what exactly is the application of this project, seems any number of these things will work, pressure switches, microphones, or the thermistor...

 

I was thinking mic myself. CO2 censor would work well. Iono what you doing with this device of stuff.

 

maybe off topic but what if you could use a switch that detect alcohol level ? i mean it will only power on if you already have some beers/wine (sry, im kinda courious).. lol, you won't have to worry about ur wife (who doesn't drink) or kid fooling around with ur pc.

 

The mike idea is the fastest-reacting IMO. Gas, humidity and temperature sensors will take a few seconds to do anything unless you have the sensitivity so high there's a risk of false alarms. And some electret microphone capsules are tiny.