I have a requirement to light up a floor tile when the user steps on the tile (kind of like...sense the person & light up the tile on which the person is standing). The tile dimension is approx 18-20 inches square. There are about 25 such tiles in a 5x5 grid and they are placed in a room with ambient light. I need to have a colored lamp (red/green..whatever)
So I'm searching around for the right type of tiles & lamps. I have 3 major constraints right now:
1. Lamps should be cheap (around 10 USD)
2. Lamps should have good response time - they should turn sufficiently bright quickly (under a second would be great)
3. They should be durable -(they application demands they the light will be toggled many times in a minute)
Also they should be easy to order (I'm in the US)
I shall be controlling the Lamps with a controller. I can connect a 'Lamp Driver' in between that can deliver high current from the AC Supply Mains/12 V Step Down.
Could somebody suggest what type of lamps/LEDs could fit the bill ?
Also, if anybody has experience with semi-transparent tiles that allow light to pass...I would be happy to receive suggestions.
I would think LEDs are probably best but being limited to $10 might rule them out. I think LEDS will save money in the long run because they use less energy and won't need to be replaced.
A tile is always lit with the same color. In fact all the tiles should be lit with the same one color(each tile has its own lamp..so at a specific time, some tiles are lit while others are not). So essentially a single color lamp/LED.
I would think LEDs are probably best but being limited to $10 might rule them out. I think LEDS will save money in the long run because they use less energy and won't need to be replaced.
Thickness of the tile is something that I've not considered yet. I mean, the idea is the light should pass through the tile, when I keep the light source underneath the tile. The constraint is 10 USD per tile...how much do you think the LEDs would cost ? (I'm assuming you're talking of a LED strip of some sort)
A tile is always lit with the same color. In fact all the tiles should be lit with the same one color(each tile has its own lamp..so at a specific time, some tiles are lit while others are not). So essentially a single color lamp/LED.
Yeah..should be more or less uniform...in terms of brightness & color (though part to part variation in brightness/color is not going to kill the requirement)
For sensing, I'm looking at contact switches, conductive foam, pressure sensors and maybe even IR-Photo modules. Yet to zero in.
Primary power source: AC Mains 120V/60Hz...will definitely have a transformer,rectifier,regulator for my controller.
Yeah..should be more or less uniform...in terms of brightness & color (though part to part variation in brightness/color is not going to kill the requirement)
For sensing, I'm looking at contact switches, conductive foam, pressure sensors and maybe even IR-Photo modules. Yet to zero in.
Primary power source: AC Mains 120V/60Hz...will definitely have a transformer,rectifier,regulator for my controller.
ok... well that is a readily available source to get 150Lm and still $8/lamp with the AC driver. I suspect the driver will come up pretty quick as well.