angelcare baby monitor sensor pad

Just wondering if anyone with a newborn who has those Angelcare baby monitors with sensor pad.

Has anyone opened up motion sensor pad? My wife wont let me and I am dying to know how it works. There are only 2 wires and I cant imagine its too hitech but it seems to detect baby breathing movements through a thick mattress???

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Reply to
bluemountains George
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Never seen one, is it firm to the touch or spongy?

If the former, my guess would be pressure/resistive, if the latter then possibly an air bladder with passive pressure sensor? Which is cheaper? Have to watch out for punctures if it's a bladder...

-- Chris.

Reply to
cth

Its springy. The slightest tap it measures about .4 to over 2v AC for a sharp tap. Not sensitive to sound, just heavy vibration. I thought piezo but in that case wouldnt need a moving spongy plate which what this is. Its designed to set off an alarm if baby doesnt move (breathe) in a 15 sec period.

Reply to
bluemountains George

piezo's not too good at low freuency. could be a magnetic pickup? is there any evidence of a permanent magnet - does ant part of it deflect a compass needle.

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Reply to
Jasen Betts

So it *produces* a voltage without external supply/excitation?

Reply to
cth

yes correct, without anypower it produces up to 2v acpeaks . the pad is 2 splitplastic pads connected together on some sort of flexible gymbal with a few mm of rocking movement. I cant open the pad without damaging it.

Reply to
bluemountains George

I read this as 2 inflexible pads with, my guess, a flexible piezoelectric film/ribbon (such as

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between the two. As long as the movement never entirely stops there'll be some output (which is what's required!)

-- FWIW, Chris.

Reply to
cth

cth Inscribed thus:

MIL has a similar device that warns us if she gets out of bed, though I suspect that its some kind of pressure sensitive device. Its very similar to an electric under blanket in appearance.

--
Best Regards:
                     Baron.
Reply to
Baron

How about a big dynamic mic, with the spongy pillow part being the diaphragm. This would generate a voltage proportional to movement.

Reply to
Swanny

Someone is going to use one of these as a kick drum microphone one day.

Reply to
Swanny

maybe its among this stuff:

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Reply to
Royston Vasey

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