knightmoves wrote: ↑March 20th, 2020, 9:32 am
MoMoney$$$;)0) wrote: ↑March 19th, 2020, 7:03 pm
I find that this "color detector" would actually be a much more interesting topic then what they currently have, but I feel less teams will be able to nail it down, like many with the temperature sensor.
A spectrophotometer based on a diffraction or reflection grating is quite buildable. So is a color sensor with RGB filters in front of some kind of photosensor. I think the biggest challenge with "color detector" as a topic is whether the rules are written clearly enough to define the environment that is expected.
Are you given a monochromatic light source and have to measure the wavelength? Can the source contain multiple wavelengths? Do you have to measure the spectrum? Perhaps you have to detect "color" based on some model of how the human eye works? Do you have to provide a source of illumination for a colored reflective surface? Anyone for optical metamerism?
This is why I really like the idea of color -- it's not that hard or expensive to build a sensor. You could use prisms, diffraction grating, colored filters made from old T-shirts, whatever.
I have the time, because of quarantine, so here's what the event was in my mind:
Teams would construct a device to measure the wavelength and color of a monochromatic light source. The device must not include any prefabricated or commercially available color sensors, not may it include any sensors that produce an output unique to the color of input light. Photoresistors, phototransistors, and photovoltaics are all examples of acceptable sensors, provided they are not sold equipped to detect color or wavelength of light. Microcontrollers and other non-sensing electronics are all permitted, provided the device does not have any wireless communication hardware. The sensor should fit with [defined size] and have an entrance aperture for the light source to be measured. Sensors without an enclosure do not need an entrance aperture. The device should display the wavelength of the light source in nm.
The Event Supervisor will provide one LED or Class-I laser inside a darkened box with a removable lid. Participants will place their sensor inside/alongside (?) the box and may orient the light source to hit their sensor. The box will be sealed and the light source activated, and participants have [x] minutes to give the wavelength, in nm, to the event supervisor.
That's a rough draft, and it's not really meant to be a complete set of rules, but it should give an idea of what I had in mind. You could do multiple light stations (like in detector) as well
Problems I might see:
- LEDs drifting in wavelength significantly
- Non-monochromatic light sources (I know LED's aren't truly monochromatic, but they're close enough for this, probably)
- LEDs coming in standard wavelengths and teams clamping to the nearest one
For an added challenge, (eg at nats), you could have two different monochromatic light sources and ask the teams to return two wavelengths. This would kill the filter approach and force people to use diffraction stuff, though.
Either way, it would be MUCH better than the temperature based thing since the event supervisor's job (provide an LED in a box) is much easier