>
> Check out
http://www.qprox.com. They sell one chip proximity sensors. You might
> be able to embed a sensor wire in the square and detect when someone steps
> in it.
>
> Eric
>
> >
> > >>> James Cameron <
@spam@quozlKILLspam
US.NETREK.ORG> 6/16/99 8:24:03 am >>>
> > Summary: looking for cheap sensor mats or alternatives.
> >
> > There's this team motivational game played on a canvas mat, marked with
> > squares, six foot by nine foot, each square a foot wide. The
> > facilitator holds a beeper and a secret paper map, and makes the beeper
> > go when a player stands on a square that is marked on the map as bad.
> >
> > I want to see if I can improve it by adding a bit of automation.
> >
> > I'd thought of mass/pressure sensitive mats as used for shop doors. The
> > only source I've found locally is for a door size, with no indication as
> > to whether I can cut it up and still make it work. Do any of you know
> > sources of such mats?
> >
> > I'd thought of a set of column and row lasers, but they would require
> > alignment every time. I'd thought of the player carrying a metal target
> > strapped to the shoes and somehow using inductive sensing in the mat,
> > but I'm afraid I'm a bit clueless on that. Any ideas?
> >
> > The area is a touch small for using differential GPS, but can one do
> > something similar with low power UHF?
> >
> > The mat has to be reasonably portable and robust, as it is carried to
> > training classes by the facilitator.
> >
> > Interface to the PIC will be by a matrix. Due to the nature of the game
> > rules; (a) only one person on the mat at any time, (b) must move to
> > square immediately next to current square (chess: king move), (c) must
> > enter or leave the mat by the top or bottom edge; the matrix can be
> > multiplied into six instances of three by three, thus utilising only six
> > lines on the PIC.
> >
> > The rest of the game simulation intelligence would be on a laptop
> > interfaced by serial port to the PIC. The PIC would be the data
> > gatherer.
> >
> > --
> > James Cameron (
KILLspamquozlKILLspam
us.netrek.org)
> >
> > Linux, Firewalls, OpenVMS, Software Engineering, CGI, HTTP, X, C, FORTH,
> > COBOL, BASIC, DCL, csh, bash, ksh, sh, Electronics, Microcontrollers,
> > Disability Engineering, Netrek, Bicycles, Pedant, Farming, Home Control,
> > Remote Area Power, Greek Scholar, Tenor Vocalist, Church Sound, Husband.
> >
> > "Specialisation is for insects." -- Robert Heinlein.