[Lab] Arduino CapSense library + Shiftbrites + interference

[Andrew O'Malley]

Hi all,

Thanks for your replies thus far.

@Charles, the acrylic sheet is integral to the design as it is the
diffusing material.

@Tom + Adam I'm going to try the tinfoil shielding tonight.

Here's a preview of what we're working on, including pics of the inner
electronics and renderings of the outer enclosure (the acrylic will be
the windows):
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=289063&id=101546226937

Cheers,
Andrew


On Wed, Apr 13, 2011 at 12:07 PM, Charles Richer
<charles.richer at gmail.com> wrote:
> Silly question does it make a difference whether you have the acrylic sheet
> or not.
>
> --cr
>
>
> On Wed, Apr 13, 2011 at 11:07 AM, Andrew O'Malley <aomalley at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>>
>> Hi everyone,
>>
>> I have a pretty specific situation here that I'd love to hear your
>> thoughts on:
>>
>> I have four panels of 5x6 Shiftbrite arrays, attached to plastic
>> supports.  In front of each panel I'm placing an acylic sheet for
>> diffusion, and on this sheet are several wires attached to an Arduino
>> running the CapSense library.
>>
>> I can get useable data from the capsense arrangement running by
>> itself, but when placed (3") in front of the shiftbrite arrary, the
>> capsense values become extremely unstable (huge fluctuations making
>> the data unuseable) when the Shiftbrites are receiving data.  The
>> capsense circuit and the shiftbrite circuit are electrically isolated,
>> as the capsense circuit is running from its own battery while the
>> shiftbrite circuit is plugged in via a power supply; so I don't think
>> it's noise from the power supply.  Is it possible that the array of
>> Shiftbrites are giving off significant EMI while shifting data?
>>
>> If this is the case, anyone have any suggestions for add-on shielding
>> for the shiftbrite array/cables?
>>
>> Thanks for your time and attention!
>>
>> Andrew
>>
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