Object Activated Tabletop Lamp

I came up with the idea for this project because of how often I forget to turn off the lights-- which can be pretty big waste of electricity. By making a lamp that automatically turns off when I'm done studying and leave my desk, it's definitely helped with this and become more aware of my electricity consumption :)

The circuit uses an infrared (IR) sensor to detect objects and signal an LED to light up. To maximize the brightness, the lamp also uses foil around the inside of the shade to reflect and illuminate more light. Adjust your sensor to detect objects at different distances!

IR Sensor Circuit:

1. 1x breadboard
2. 1x Infrared sensor
3. 3x male-female jumper wires
4. 2x male-male jumper wires
5. 1x 120 ohm resistor
6. 1x LED (white)
7. 2x 1.5V Batteries + battery holder (with alligator clips)

Making the Lamp:

1. 1x paper cup
2. 2x male-female jumper wires
3. Cardboard
4. Tape
5. Hot glue
6. Scissors
7. foil

Connect three male-female jumper wires to your IR sensor. On your breadboard, connect the ‘out‘ pin of the sensor (yellow in the picture) to row 13, the ‘ground‘ pin (blue) to the negative rail, and the ‘vcc‘ pin (green) to the positive rail.

Connect one end of the resistor to row 13 (where the output pin of the sensor should be). Connect the other to row 19.

For the LED, insert the shorter leg into row 19, in the same row as the resistor. Connect the positive leg to the positive rail (the same rail that the vcc pin should be on).

Connect one end of male-male jumper wire to the positive rail, and the other to the positive end of the battery. Insert another jumper wire into the negative rail, and connect it to the negative end of the battery. One of the lights on the sensor should turn on.

Use a screwdriver to adjust the sensitivity of the sensor. Do this by turning the potentiometer slowly until your LED lights up when an object comes to a certain distance.

Cut out two square pieces of cardboard so that they fit snugly around the breadboard and battery holder. Glue the breadboard and battery holder onto one of the pieces.

Using hot glue, attach ~1.5 inch cardboard walls around your base. Cut out a small hole in one of them, inserting the IR sensor LEDs so they protrude out.

Tape your alligator clips to opposite sides of the box to ensure that they don’t touch. Then, use two male-female jumper wires to extend the LED from the breadboard.

Glue the second cardboard square on top, cutting out a small hole opposite to your sensor for the LED and jumper wires to come out.

Cut half a paper cup, and glue a carboard circle on the top. This will be the lamp shade.

Cut a strip of cardboard, gluing one end to the base and the other inside the shade. Then, cut a small hole at the top of your lamp shade, inserting the LED into it. Secure the LED and jumper wires with tape.

Tape a strip of foil inside your lamp shade, to reflect the light and make it brighter. Use colored paper to decorate the rest.