Most PN-junction diodes can be used as photodiodes. While not optimized for this application, they do work. When the diode is reverse biased, it will produce a small photovoltaic output as the light level is increased. LEDs are particularly suited for this task because their housings are transparent. You can construct a simple circuit that will assess the condition of
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ambient lighting and, because many LEDs` packages are tinted to enhance their emitted color, may even yield a reasonable evaluation of the detected color. The results are not as effective as those obtained using a high-quality optical filter, which typically has narrow bandpass characteristics, but they can be quite acceptable. Though the design described here does not produce the accuracy of designs with laboratory-grade photodetectors and transimpedance amplifiers, it can be quickly assembled and will produce usable results at a low cost. Three LEDs are used; experimentation will indicate which device has the best sensitivity to which color (Figure 1). The ambient light falling on the LEDs causes some current flow ”typically in the range of 10 to 100 nA ”through each LED, depending on the applied illumination level. This current flows through the base of a transistor, Q1, and is amplified. Q1`s collector current then splits between potentiometer R4, which acts as a first-stage gain calibration, and the base of Q2. Q2 provides further amplification and drives the left side of a bridge circuit (D1A and D1B). Note that R2/D1 and R3/D2 form a balanced bridge. Q2`s collector current provides a slight imbalance to the bridge. The meter, M, measures this imbalance. R5 adjusts the sensitivity of the meter. Set R4 and R5 such that the meter has an appropriate deflection. R4 is useful for selecting the quiescent point; R5 is...
This project fits more for custom made battery casing that can have more space to hide things inside. This switch with few alterations can be used for any other project as well but is designed based on e-bike needs! This project use a clever functionality of....
The circuit described here uses ultrasonic oscillations and operates based on the propagation velocity of these oscillations in the air. Thus, we can easily determine the distance of two points if the time within which the wave travels this distance is....
Sometimes the precious metals are hidden too deep and are not detected except with complicated devices. In many cases, however, small pieces of precious metal buried near the surface can be detected by relatively simple means. Everyone is very attractive to....
Many times for various reasons we forget or can not water the plants that we have in our homes. And many humidity sensors units just notify us with a beeping sound or with a flashing light, that the pot needs watering. But what if we are away from home? This....
The principle behind a metal detector is really very simple. Proof of this is the circuit that follows, in which it proves that the construction of a metal detector can be done in the minute, with few components that we find very easily everywhere. With the....
The sub-harmonic bass generator is a sound producing unit for guitars. The sound it produces looks very much like that of the bass guitar. The octave generator is sometimes quite unusual since it does not produce any of the usual ways of coloring the sound,....
In the past the sounding (sea bottom measurement) was done with the "bullet", that is, with a heavy lead object that the seamen plucked into the sea hung from a calibrated rope. As soon as the "bullet" reached the bottom, the depth appeared directly from the....
This Amplifier was designed to have the following specifications: Distortion less than 0.1% at full power of 100W even at 20KHz. Power has to be attributed to an extended bandwidth. The output transistors must be protected against short circuits. The power....
A series of LEDs serve to alert the gardener when plants need water. Using two conventional digital integrated LEDs and a series of LEDs, we make a very useful device for gardening. The device detects the amount of water in the pot and alerts the grower.....
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