Competition definitely inspires savagery, doesn’t it? So what do you do when you need a bunch of switches that you can let people tap or stomp repeatedly without hurting themselves? You can take a look at the guitar pedal industry and its durable detent switches, or you can just build your own drop-resistant buttons like [wannabemadsci] did.
The main feature of these switches is that they are not easily broken by boots or an angry fist. This is because the shiny red button part on the button is made by cutting a Styrofoam ball in half.
Note that Styrofoam, which is not easy to crush, is soft-coated foam, like a soccer ball. It’s mounted on top of a cardboard sandwich and a few pieces of easy-to-squeeze foam from a paintbrush.
A brass washer is placed in the middle of two rigid boards with wires soldered to them to read button presses. Then just connect it to the microcontroller like any other moment.
There are many things that can be cut in half, such as tennis balls. Alternatively, do what [Sprite_TM] did and use an upside down plastic bowl.
GOOD Still not sure if it will last that long in the most hostile environments like schools or public places – foam balls are not that durable after all.
I would probably go for something with no moving parts – a rigid board with a piezo mounted underneath to detect stomping noise. A few years ago, I found a double piezo mixer on my desk with amazing success – probably inspired by an old HAD article…
Well, there are cars with sensors that drive by and tell the gas station that you need fuel. Essentially a rubber hose with a pressure sensor.
Oh yes, “Din Jose”! One of my favorite thrift stores has a store that draws workers when you want to donate.
Cool concept, but I also want to see after a month of serious use. If people put their feet on it, there will also be a lot of side load, I don’t think the foam, glue and wires will hold up, and I would like to know what to give first.
Commercial push buttons are available for floor-standing flush toilets. They’ve been through a lot of pressure. It is a black elastic rubber with a pneumatic tube inside that causes flushing when the user pinches it.
The Seacan container is supported by another 3 block high windwall container… The steel cables welded to each container are very thick…
I had to buy something similar for a working project. The only thing: it must be completely isolated for medical applications.
The solution is a rubber bulb like the one pictured above, but with a rubber hose leading to the pressure switch in the block. No wires at all, just a rubber dome and tube. Step on it and the switch in the device will activate.
In 2015, I made a mock quiz button system with giant semi-circular buttons. If I think about it, I could save $50 off my budget.
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