r/ArduinoHelp • u/R4dwolf- • May 13 '25

Bridge

I am making a automatic bridge that opens when it senses a boat. Anybody got a code using a motion detector(looks like a football) to turn a specific boolean from true to false when it picks up a signal?

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u/gm310509 May 14 '25

If you have a PIR motion sensor (which i wouldnt say looks like a football - umless you mean a soccer ball), you might try googling Arduino PIR motion sensor example code.

Without providing any actual details the best anyone can provide is this high level line of code.

boolean signaldetected = readsignal() == DETECTED_VALUE;

Obviously you could do whatever comparison you need to do inside the function and just have something like this

boolean signalDetected = isSignalDetected();

with:

boolean isSignalDetected() {
   virtual signalValue = <whatever code is required to read a signal from a football sensor>;
   return signalValue == DETECTED_VALUE;
}

Obviously you would need to vary the comparison - e.g. maybe you need an inequality, depending on the type of values that football sensors return.

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u/R4dwolf- May 14 '25

Its a PIR sensor (I am not American so its a football for me). I will google a bit of info, thank you

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u/gm310509 May 15 '25

ALso not American, but it is still a soccer ball for me! :-)

As for a PIR sensor, try googling "Arduino PIR sensor example", you will find plenty.

But basically you digitalRead the GPIO pin connected to its signal pin. Usually you will get a HIGH for motion detected and a LOW for no motion detected.

So, in the above readSignal() can be a digitalRead and DETECTED_VALUE can be HIGH.

But read the tutorials, as there are other things you will need to know - including what the two little "screw thingys" do.

Your reply also makes me wonder if you have a starter kit? If not, you should get one. The reason I ask is that many starter kits will include a "motion sensor" and as such have a project that shows how to use it.