Shooting gallery ideas needed

[spectral]

I would like to build a small shooting gallery based on the strobe light/photosensor target concept. Parts for these things are very expensive so I would like to create my own gun and sensors. I would like to avoid using a strobe lamp if possible if I can use a high power LED instead. The sensor circuit would need to detect the light flash and trigger a relay for an adjustable period.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Chris

 

[dknguyen]

An LED won't "shoot" without a lens and even then it will still spread. A laser diode would. BUt laser diodes are a finicky about their power supply and burn out if you don't know what you're doing. You could always buy a alser pointer and stick it in the gun.

 

[spectral]

I have thought about using a laser except that the beam would be too narrow and make it too difficult to hit the target.

Chris

 

[dknguyen]

THe problem with an LED is is spreads out too much that the power is too weak by the time it reaches the target. You could use bigger sensors but that's expensive. I would still think that a laser with a "spreading lens" still focuses more than an LED with a collimating lens. How small is small? A laser pointer dot is about the size of a BB.

Instead of sensors maybe you could just have a single low res filterd camera that would stare at the targets and mark when light was detected in various areas- more complicated but once you get past a certain amount of sensors, it gets worth it.

 

[ericgibbs]

I have thought about using a laser except that the beam would be too narrow and make it too difficult to hit the target.

Chris

hi Chris,
Isnt the idea that if the narrow laser pointer is not on the target when you press the trigger , you miss the target..???

I converted a Play Station game to have a laser pointer mounted on the gun and its very accurate.. grand kids love it..

 

[jpanhalt]

You can make the beam broader with a concave lens.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lens_(optics)
John

 

[killivolt]

Blue ray

I couldn't resist when I saw this and your hack on the play station.............. hear is a hack on a Star Treck 1966 play gun with a blue-ray laser coooooool.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfj1n8vPWCE&feature=related

...................... Good luck on your game. kv

 

[ericgibbs]

I couldn't resist when I saw this and your hack on the play station.............. hear is a hack on a Star Treck 1966 play gun with a blue-ray laser coooooool.
...................... Good luck on your game. kv

hi,
The red laser pointer was mounted on the PS game gun so it didnt interfere with the guns ability to see the TV raster, in this way it was able aim the gun and fire.

Another couple of mods to the gun, auto reload, machine gun mode.[used 4093 ic]

I see some of the more recent shop bought game guns have these features built in..

As you can imagine I had to do a lot of testing..

That blue ray laser probably isnt eye safe.???

 

[killivolt]

You got that right if you look at some of those video's there is one showing the red out of a DVD player popping ballons.

Risky business putting this stuff in the hands of kids.

(True)............... kv

 

[Pommie]

THe problem with an LED is is spreads out too much that the power is too weak by the time it reaches the target.

My TV remote works at a good distance. A pulsed high power IR LED that's shielded by the barrel should provide good range and accuracy.

Mike.

 

[spectral]

Thanks for all of the great ideas! I think I will look into the laser/lens solution. This shooting gallery will be for adults only so I am not too concerned about misuse of the laser. Any ideas for a phototransistor based sensor and relay trigger circuit?