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Arduino Basics: PIR Sensors

by frenzy on February 16, 2011

Table of Contents
Arduino Basics: PIR Sensors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Intro: Arduino Basics: PIR Sensors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Step 1: Supplies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Step 2: Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Step 3: Code . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

File Downloads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Step 4: Further Projectse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Related Instructables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

http://www.instructables.com/id/Arduino-Basics-PIR-Sensor/

Author:frenzy
I'm the QA engineer here at instructables. I make cool projects in between testing instructables.com to make sure it works awesomely. Give me your bugs!

Intro: Arduino Basics: PIR Sensors

Welcome to the next installment of Arduino Basics!
This instructable will teach you how to use a PIR sensors with the arduino, and we wil build a simple motion detector!

Step 1: Supplies
For this instructable you will need the following:
1 arduino (with protoshield to make life easy)
1 LED of any color
1 PIR sensor from Parallax (you can find these at most radio shacks)
Solid wire to hook it up

Step 2: Setup
The wiring is pretty simple, the PIR sensor has screen printed: + - out
Hook the + to 5v, - to ground and out to pin 7
The take the LED and put power to pin 8 and ground to ground.
If its confusing, take a look at the pictures!

http://www.instructables.com/id/Arduino-Basics-PIR-Sensor/

Step 3: Code
This code is lifted from the arduino.cc site here, the code I used is also attached.
/*
* //////////////////////////////////////////////////
* //making sense of the Parallax PIR sensor's output
* //////////////////////////////////////////////////
*
* Switches a LED according to the state of the sensors output pin.
* Determines the beginning and end of continuous motion sequences.
*
* @author: Kristian Gohlke / krigoo (_) gmail (_) com / http://krx.at
* @date:
3. September 2006
*
* kr1 (cleft) 2006
* released under a creative commons "Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0" license
* http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/de/
*
*
* The Parallax PIR Sensor is an easy to use digital infrared motion sensor module.
* (http://www.parallax.com/detail.asp?product_id=555-28027)
*
* The sensor's output pin goes to HIGH if motion is present.
* However, even if motion is present it goes to LOW from time to time,
* which might give the impression no motion is present.
* This program deals with this issue by ignoring LOW-phases shorter than a given time,
* assuming continuous motion is present during these phases.
*
*/
/////////////////////////////
//VARS
//the time we give the sensor to calibrate (10-60 secs according to the datasheet)
int calibrationTime = 30;
//the time when the sensor outputs a low impulse
long unsigned int lowIn;
//the amount of milliseconds the sensor has to be low
//before we assume all motion has stopped
long unsigned int pause = 5000;
boolean lockLow = true;
boolean takeLowTime;
int pirPin = 7;
int ledPin = 8;

//the digital pin connected to the PIR sensor's output

/////////////////////////////
//SETUP
void setup(){
Serial.begin(9600);
pinMode(pirPin, INPUT);
pinMode(ledPin, OUTPUT);
digitalWrite(pirPin, LOW);
//give the sensor some time to calibrate
Serial.print("calibrating sensor ");
for(int i = 0; i < calibrationTime; i++){
Serial.print(".");

http://www.instructables.com/id/Arduino-Basics-PIR-Sensor/

delay(1000);
}
Serial.println(" done");
Serial.println("SENSOR ACTIVE");
delay(50);
}
////////////////////////////
//LOOP
void loop(){
if(digitalRead(pirPin) == HIGH){
digitalWrite(ledPin, HIGH);
//the led visualizes the sensors output pin state
if(lockLow){
//makes sure we wait for a transition to LOW before any further output is made:
lockLow = false;
Serial.println("---");
Serial.print("motion detected at ");
Serial.print(millis()/1000);
Serial.println(" sec");
delay(50);
}
takeLowTime = true;
}
if(digitalRead(pirPin) == LOW){
digitalWrite(ledPin, LOW); //the led visualizes the sensors output pin state
if(takeLowTime){
lowIn = millis();
//save the time of the transition from high to LOW
takeLowTime = false;
//make sure this is only done at the start of a LOW phase
}
//if the sensor is low for more than the given pause,
//we assume that no more motion is going to happen
if(!lockLow & millis() - lowIn > pause){
//makes sure this block of code is only executed again after
//a new motion sequence has been detected
lockLow = true;
Serial.print("motion ended at ");
//output
Serial.print((millis() - pause)/1000);
Serial.println(" sec");
delay(50);
}
}
}

You can see from the code, the sensor first calibrates itself and then watches for movement. When it detects movement, the blue light goes on. You can watch the serial
monitor to see how long the movement lasts.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Arduino-Basics-PIR-Sensor/

File Downloads

pir.pde (3 KB)
[NOTE: When saving, if you see .tmp as the file ext, rename it to 'pir.pde']

Step 4: Further Projectse

After these steps you have a very simple motion detector. From here you can use the PIR sensor to trigger events (like a siren or a text message that someone is in your
room).
I just chose to use it to protect my stunnaz from blue light fearing monsters. It seems to work so far....
Please post your PIR sensor projects below and stay tuned for even more Arduino Basics!

http://www.instructables.com/id/Arduino-Basics-PIR-Sensor/

Related Instructables

PIR Motion
Sensor Tutorial
by adafruit

Arduino
Controlled
Motion Sensor
by LemonSlice

Squirt Arduino, motion

activated water
cannon by
Jonathan Robson

PIR Alarm
Arduino Motion
Sensor (with
Encasing) by
chuck4747

Keychain
camera with PIR
motion detector
controlled by
Arduino chip
(Photos) by
janisalnis

Basics of the
Arduino
(Duemilanove)
by vishalapr

Comments
20 comments Add Comment

USmarineforces says:

Oct 15, 2011. 4:52 AM REPLY

its a nice project sir and very impresive. but sir' i have a question ahm im working with a project that uses wireless senors for security systems with an
addressable alarm. can you tech me how these things well be built?

diy_bloke says:

Dec 10, 2011. 1:01 AM REPLY

As frenzy has not replied yet, I am already going to ask you to be a bit more specific. Are you interested in just connecting wireless sensors or in building
the entire system. In that case, what do you mean with 'adressable alarm'.
Just a question out of interest (forgive me if I am completely off): are you by any chance Filipino? :-)

darrenervine says:

Apr 12, 2011. 8:49 PM REPLY

how do you get this to send a txt message?
I have made a motion activate camera and I am looking to get it to send me a text message or email when a picture is taken...any thoughts?
thanks

Computothought says:

Feb 25, 2011. 1:59 PM REPLY

Going to do that on my pc. Just have to try it.

bertus52x11 says:

Feb 16, 2011. 11:04 PM REPLY

Did you get a new identity recently, or is this your standard Arduino outfit?
Anyway, always good to read the basics...

Ghost Wolf says:

Feb 17, 2011. 11:41 AM REPLY

No you got it wrong you see he was trying to make arduinos less nerdy but.........it had the opposite affect :I

frenzy says:

Feb 17, 2011. 2:11 PM REPLY

the arduinos go WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Ghost Wolf says:

Feb 17, 2011. 6:14 PM REPLY

>.> that's was she said

(see i can come up with great comments too)

frenzy says:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Arduino-Basics-PIR-Sensor/

Feb 23, 2011. 5:59 PM REPLY

Ghost Wolf says:

Feb 24, 2011. 7:30 AM REPLY

Sooooooooooo you like driving people crazy?

bertus52x11 says:

Feb 17, 2011. 1:54 PM REPLY

Mmm, on second thoughts, I guess you're right!

Ghost Wolf says:

Feb 17, 2011. 6:16 PM REPLY

It's a great project if you can make light up sunglasses though

account3r2 says:

Feb 18, 2011. 8:48 PM REPLY

if you are using fritzing, can you send me the download for the pir sensor?

frenzy says:

Feb 23, 2011. 5:56 PM REPLY

there is no download although adafruit has one in her fritzing tutorials.

i just used the basic component with 3 pins and labeled it

lynne123 says:

Feb 21, 2011. 8:48 AM REPLY

Hey frenzy,
Great tutorial - very well explained.
I could see how a heat sensor and arduino could be used for a project I have been working on. I got the parts but am woefully underexperienced to put it
together. I am trying to get a thermal array sensor to run a small motor.
I'm stuck. Got any suggestions on where to go for help?

account3r2 says:

Feb 18, 2011. 8:26 PM REPLY

are you using fritzing?

mhkabir says:

Feb 18, 2011. 11:50 PM REPLY

Yes he is.

maewert says:

Feb 17, 2011. 7:35 AM REPLY

Do you recommend we put a 220 ohm resistor between pin 8 and the LED to limit the current?
Best Wishes

frenzy says:

Feb 17, 2011. 2:12 PM REPLY

If you want to be the most correct about it yeah. I didn't and it probablly won't blow the led out but for something more precise, definitely.

rtty21 says:
Nice new glasses! awesome tutorial too!

http://www.instructables.com/id/Arduino-Basics-PIR-Sensor/

Feb 17, 2011. 6:14 AM REPLY