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The program will start counting in milliseconds when the beam for Sensor 1 is broken and then stop when beam for Sensor 2 is broken. It will then calculate the speed to miles per hour.

The distance between the two sensors is 106mm. The formula for Millimeter per second to Miles per hour is 1mm/s = 0.0022mph. Since the program returns the value in milliseconds instead of seconds it was easier to move the decimal in the distance from 106 to 106000 rather than convert milliseconds to seconds.

If you change the distance between the sensors you will need to change that value.

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// convert mm/s to mph
  mph = ((106000 / elapsed_time) * 0.0022);

The code is also designed that once Sensor 1 is triggered it will not trigger again until Sensor 2 is triggered. Sensor 2 can not be triggered if Sensor 1 is not triggered. So when using the timer always have the car to be timed enter from the right side.

Below is the full code to load on to the Feather

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#include <SPI.h>
#include <Wire.h>
#include <Adafruit_GFX.h>
#include <Adafruit_SSD1306.h>

Adafruit_SSD1306 display = Adafruit_SSD1306();

#define SENSORPIN1 10 //Sensor 1 is on the right
#define SENSORPIN2 11 //Sensor 2 is on the left

long end_time; // When Sensor 2 is triggered
long start_time; // When Sensor 1 is triggered
long elapsed_time; // End time minus start time

float mph; // Speed calculated

int trigger1 = 0; // Sensor 1
int trigger2 = 0; // Sensor 2
int sensor1State; // Sensor 1 status
int sensor2State; // Sensor 2 status

void setup() {
  pinMode(SENSORPIN1, INPUT); // Sensor 1 as input
  digitalWrite(SENSORPIN1, HIGH); // Turn on the pullup
  pinMode(SENSORPIN2, INPUT); // Sensor 2 s input
  digitalWrite(SENSORPIN2, HIGH); // Turn on the pullup

  // by default, we'll generate the high voltage from the 3.3v line internally! (neat!)
  display.begin(SSD1306_SWITCHCAPVCC, 0x3C);  // initialize with the I2C addr 0x3C (for the 128x32)

  // Clear the buffer.
  display.clearDisplay();
  display.display();


  display.setTextColor(WHITE);

}

// Function to determine speed
void speed()
{
  // subtract end time from start time to get total time
  elapsed_time = ((end_time - start_time));

  // convert mm/s to mph
  mph = ((106000 / elapsed_time) * 0.0022);

  // set OLED display text size
  display.setTextSize(3);
  
  // Clear the buffer.
  display.clearDisplay();
  display.display();

  display.setCursor(0, 0);
  display.print(mph);
  display.setTextSize(2);
  display.print("mph");
  display.setCursor(0, 0);
  display.display(); // actually display all of the above
}

void loop() {
  // Read the state of the IR sensor 1:
  sensor1State = digitalRead(SENSORPIN1);

  // See if IR beam of sensor 1 has been broken
  if (sensor1State == LOW) {

    // Check to make sure both sensors have not triggered
    if (trigger1 == 0 && trigger2 == 0) {

      // Save time when sensor 1 was triggered
      start_time = millis();

      // Prevent sensor 1 from triggering again
      trigger1 = 1;
    }
  }

  // Read the state of the IR sensor 2:
  sensor2State = digitalRead(SENSORPIN2);

  // See if IR beam of sensor 2 has been broken
  if (sensor2State == LOW) {

    // Check to make sure sensor 1 has triggered but not sensor2
    if (trigger2 == 0 && trigger1 == 1) {

      // Save time when sensor 2 was triggered
      end_time = millis();

      // Run speed function
      speed();

      // Prevent sensor 2 from triggering again
      trigger2 = 1;
    }
    delay(1000);

    // Reset both sensors
    trigger1 = 0;
    trigger2 = 0;
  }
}
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This guide was first published on Mar 20, 2017. It was last updated on Mar 20, 2017.

This page (Software) was last updated on Feb 10, 2017.

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