USB-Powered Apple
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To keep with spirit of the season I made this USB-Powered Apple. It is really quite a simple device. It vibrates when a person grabs for it and does not vibrate when a person does not. Unlike your family, this apple is predictable and may relieve stress.
Go Get Stuff
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parts:
1 - Apple (real or otherwise)
1 - Vibrating motor (preferably 1" diameter)
1 - 1+1/4" diameter PVC pipe (or to fit your motor)
1 - Water bottle cap (should your motor not fit snug inside the pipe)
1 - Copper foil (the thinnest sheet of copper you can find)
1 - USB cable
1 - QT113H capacitance sensor chip (obsolete)
1 - 8 pin socket (optional)
1 - 0.047uF polyester film capacitor
1 - 2N2222 transistor
1 - 1N4004 diode
1 - PCB project board
1 - 5" shielded wire
1 - red and black 22 AWG wire
1 - Electrical tape
tools:
- Soldering iron
- Xacto knife
- Multitool
- Hot glue gun
- Drill or awl
- Long nose pliers
Please note that some of the links on this page contain Amazon affiliate links. This does not change the price of any of the items for sale. However, I earn a small commission if you click on any of those links and buy anything. I reinvest this money into materials and tools for future projects.
Carve a Lid in the Bottom.
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Carve a lid in the bottom of the apple as though you were carving a pumpkin. In other words, cut with the point of the blade pointing into the center of the apple so that when you hollow it out the lid won't fall back through.
The lid should be slightly wider than the PVC pipe that you want to encase your motor inside of.
Hollow Out the Apple.
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Prepare the Plug.
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Once your wire is cut, make a hole in the side of the apple towards the base as thick as the wire. This hole should bore through until it hits the cylindrical hole you have already carved out. You can do this very carefully with a drill or an awl. Once the hole is complete, pass the wire through.
Build the Circuit.
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Once the board is prepared, construct on it the circuit shown below. Note that the copper electrode should be connected to the circuit with shielded wire. The shielding should be connected to ground on the circuit, but not by any means touch the electrode.
Construct the Motor Casing.
![apple08.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/F5P/EVIN/9DWEUOJJLCJ/F5PEVIN9DWEUOJJLCJ.jpg&filename=apple08.jpg)
![apple09.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FSF/55O2/B06EUOJJLGH/FSF55O2B06EUOJJLGH.jpg&filename=apple09.jpg)
Now that the motor casing is built, it's time to wrap your electrode (copper sheet) around the outside. Solder and/or glue the electrode into place.
Stuff the Apple.
![apple10.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/F06/JOLI/HLSEUOJJLRM/F06JOLIHLSEUOJJLRM.jpg&filename=apple10.jpg)
Should you want to increase the sensitivity of your apple, you can strip small sections of wire and pass them through the apple so that they are situated right below the skin's surface. Make sure that enough of the wire is sticking out within the cylinder so that when you pass the motor in, these wires will make contact with the electrode (but not so long that they will get caught in the spinning motor itself).
Testing Testing... 1 2 3...
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Plug it in.
Nothing should happen.
Now put your hand around it.
It should vibrate.
however...
If you plug it in and it starts to vibrate and never stops then you can have one of many problems:
1. Your wiring is wrong.
2. Somewhere on the circuit wires are being crossed.
3. Ground wires are making contact with your electrode.
4. You have not used shielded cable for your electrode.
5. You have wired your shielded cable wrong.
If you plug it and nothing happens and then when you touch it nothing still happens:
1. Your wiring is wrong.
2. Somewhere on the circuit wires are being crossed.
3. Your chip or transistor may be dead.
4. Your USB cable is busted.
If you plug it in and it vibrates for 10 seconds every time you touch it then you probably are not using shielded electrode wire. The sensor is timing out and recallibrating itself every time it is triggered. Use shielded cable or fix your wiring.
Close It Up.
![apple11.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/F3D/P97Z/KNVEUOJJM6B/F3DP97ZKNVEUOJJM6B.jpg&filename=apple11.jpg)
Once you are sure that it works, close the apple up. Take the lid and position it into place. With your hot glue gun, glue it shut however you see fit. Make sure it really works well before you do this.
Relax.
![apple13.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FV0/U297/QCYEUOJJM5I/FV0U297QCYEUOJJM5I.jpg&filename=apple13.jpg)
Plug it in and grab for it every time your relatives call.
Bzzzzzzz......ahhhhhhhhhh...... I make dinner this year? Sure.... fine..... ahhhhh.........
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