How to Automate a Haunted House Using Sensors

You've built a creepy haunted house and it's the scariest one around. How do you take it to the next level? Automate it using non-contact infrared photoelectric sensors to control electronic scare devices.

Haunted houses are designed to be very creepy and with enough volunteers, they may be loaded with frights around every corner. What if there are not enough volunteers available to haunt the house? Infrared photoelectric sensors are the perfect device to detect guests and to trigger electronic gadgets, such as noise makers or motorized animatronic characters, giving visitors a scare they won't soon forget.

Sensors are used every day in various industries ranging from food processing to automotive assembly lines. Some of the top commercial haunted houses in the country are now using the very same sensors to automate their haunted attractions, providing a far creepier presentation. Industrial sensors are available to the general public for less money than you might expect, giving the average Joe an opportunity to built a haunted house that rivals even the ones presented by major theme parks.

The easiest type of photoelectric sensor to use in a haunted house attraction is one that uses a mechanical relay switch. This type of sensor is as easy to wire and operate as a light switch. Also be sure that the photoelectric sensors use infrared light and do not display a visible light which would draw attention to them. Arrange the photoelectric sensors across from each other in a hallway or door jamb, or anywhere that a guest will pass between them. The guest will break the infrared beam of light, causing the mechanical relay switch in the photoelectric controller to close, which will provide power to a noise maker or animatronic device. Each time a guest passes the sensors, the same action will occur repeatedly without operator intervention. This allows volunteers in the haunted house to spend time mingling with the guests and not hiding behind walls, just making noise.

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How to Equip Amusement Rides with the Right Sensors

The best types of sensors in an amusement park are the ones you don’t think about until maintenance time. Find the most reliable products and they will save you money and headaches all year long.

Evaluate each amusement ride individually. What type of sensing solution is currently in place? How well does it work? If it is possible to replace contact switches, otherwise known as limit switches, with a non-contact solution, it will greatly improve the uptime for that ride. Contact switches with moving parts wear out quickly, whereas non-contact sensors only need to be replaced in the event that they are destroyed by collision, Mother Nature, or extremely rough handling. Consult with a manufacturer or distributor of industrial sensors and ask them for assistance with your application. Any sensor company who is interested in doing business with you should be able to support the products and answer your questions.

If a new sensor is what you desire, the next decision is which type of sensing technology to implement. There are many sensors to choose from, but in the amusement industry, the top picks are infrared photoelectric sensors and inductive proximity sensors. A transmitter photo eye projects an infrared beam of light, which is invisible to the naked human eye. A receiver photo eye reports when it sees the beam and when it doesn’t and will pass a signal to the appropriate controller. Rides that require objects to be detected from a distance or in harsh conditions, like log flume rides, river rapids, and dark, smoky theme rides are great places for photoelectric sensors.

Try an inductive proximity sensor in areas where metal objects must be detected at close range. These sensors will only detect metal and their sensing distance is limited, but they are extremely tough and can take a beating. Rides like roller coasters, where the sensor may be mounted on the track and detect the metal in the train are good applications for inductive proximity sensors. Inductive proximity sensors are excellent replacements for limit switches.

Develop a routine maintenance schedule and replace all sensors in the amusement park at least once a year. This will ensure proper function and will keep the rides operating at their peak performance. Visitors will appreciate the ride availability and you will notice improved uptime and fewer replacements throughout the year.

Supplier of Industrial Photoelectric Sensors

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It’s time for yearly maintenance and you need a reliable solution to replace the sensors in your log flume attraction. Try industrial infrared photoelectric sensors to keep your log flume running trouble-free year round.

Purchase an industrial infrared photoelectric system. Check the ratings on the photo eyes and be sure they have an IP67 rating or better. Also check their range to be sure it is more than adequate to cover the entire distance across the river. If the photo eyes need to operate underwater, choose the most powerful combination of transmitter and receiver available.

Mount the photo eyes in a through-beam configuration for the best performance. Do not rely on reflectors because they will cause problems as they get dirty. If the photo eyes will spend any length of time underwater, it is a good idea to purchase the hard-wired cable version instead of a quick-disconnect type. If you do use quick-disconnect sensors, be sure to squirt dielectric grease into the connectors before attaching them together. This will help keep the connections dry and the pins free from corrosion.

Ask the manufacturer or distributor of photoelectric sensors for a demo set to test in your ride application before you buy. Try several sets from different companies side-by-side to determine which ones work the best. Follow a strict maintenance schedule and replace the photo eyes at least once a year. Your visitors will appreciate the extended ride uptime that quality sensors provide.

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How to Detect Visitors in a Driveway Using Infrared Photoelectric Sensors

Sometimes you just need an extra minute to prepare for a guest’s arrival. When the doorbell rings, it’s often too late. Why not install a system that will alert you to the presence of a guest before they ever make it to your door?

Choose a quality set of industrial photoelectric sensors. Infrared photoelectric sensors may be used to detect objects in a number of ways. Mounting the sender and the receiver across from each other is known as a through-beam configuration and provides the strongest beam. Retro-reflective mounting places the sender and the receiver on the same side and bounces the infrared beam off an object when it is in close enough proximity. Diffuse proximity mounting uses the same layout as retro reflective, but also uses a reflector on the side opposite the photo eyes. Any of these three configurations may be used to set up a driveway monitoring system depending on what type of structures are adjacent to the driveway.

Evaluate the best location to mount the sensors. This may be a mailbox, a fence post, a brick building, a bridge, or whatever standing structure happens to be within range of the driveway. If you mount the photoelectric sensors in a through-beam configuration they do not need to be very close to the driveway, whereas the other two options will need to be much closer, depending on the type of photoelectric sensors used, like ten to fifteen feet

Trace a route back to your home for burying the sensor wires, but don't put the wires in the ground yet. Instead, extend the wires back to the house above-the-ground and connect the photo eyes to the appropriate power source or to an external amplifier if the photoelectric system includes one. Connect the output of the sensors to a buzzer or bell with a noise that is distinctly different from the sound that your doorbell or telephone makes so that you can easily distinguish them. Many photoelectric amplifiers include a relay output, so connecting them to a buzzer should be as easy as connecting a mechanical switch. See the manufacturer's website for wiring diagrams.

Test the system using different types of cars and trucks and also people. Adjust the sensitivity of the photoelectric system to the optimum level and mount the photo eyes at the right height from the ground to hit the midsection of most vehicles. When everything is set correctly, bury the conduit containing the wires and do your best to conceal the photo eyes from view. This system will provide a reliable means for detecting guests before they are standing on your doorstep and could also be interfaced with a security camera or lights. The opportunities are unlimited.

Industrial photoelectric sensor supplier

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