Doorbell "button"

On 23.02.2015 03:12, Don Y wrote:
>
> The sorts of things I've been exploring:
> - a "knocker" that is not movable (no "hinge")
> - a knocker that is hinged at the *bottom*
> - a knocker that "fights back"
> - a knocker that "makes no noise"
> - a knocker that FALLS OFF when actuated
> - a "button" that you *pull* (Addam's Family)
> - a button that isn't "pushable"
> - a *group* of buttons ("which one do I press??")
> - a numeric keypad ("what do I *type*??")
> - a telephone *dial* ("WTF??")
> - a coin slot (or dollar bill validator!  :> )
> - a big red "HAL" eye
> - "In case of Emergency, break glass" (with LEXAN :> )
>

What about...

- A ten turn potentiometer with a scale, like the one used for
   this "delay time" control here: http://imgur.com/udJyQQM

Cheers
Dimitrij

On 23/02/15 02:12, Don Y wrote:
> Goal is to "mess with the heads" of (first-time) callers

A row of 10 buttons, each of which plays a different tune.
You ignore 9 tunes and pay attention to the tenth.

Your wanted visitors know the "right" button/tune.

You unwanted visitors press the "wrong" button 90%
of the time, and you can choose to ignore them or not,
depending on your mood.

Messing with their heads consists of putting up a sign
explaining why there are 10 buttons. Have fun when
the police want to visit you :)

Don Y wrote:
> On 2/22/2015 8:14 PM, Jeff Liebermann wrote:
>> On Sun, 22 Feb 2015 19:12:39 -0700, Don Y <this@is.not.me.com> wrote:
>>
>>> So, how would you "confound" someone interacting with your
>>> door for the first time?
>>
>> Clever. My office doesn't have a doorbell or button. Few offices do.
>> So, I have a sign "Yell for Service" which substitutes nicely. Also,
>> my posted hours is a sign I found proclaiming "I don't do mornings".
>> This also acts as a filter for potential customers that fail to read
>> or understand such obvious instructions and are therefore not
>> candidates for my services.
>>
>> For a doorbell, I suggest a pressure transducer, that measures the
>> pressure, duration, and frequency of the button pressings. It should
>> also be possible to add a quick reading pulse oxymeter and pulse rate
>> counter with the inclusion of red and IR LED's. Fuzzy logic
>> computation should offer an indication of the state of mind of the
>> visitor, which would be used to decide if you want to greet the
>> visitor, or escape out the back door. With a historical database of
>> button pressings and visitor names, it should be possible to identify
>> the visitor.
>
> Naw, I've got a cleverer way of identifying The Regulars! :>
>
>> Drivel: I recently discovered a few back issues of Make Magazine.
>> <http://makezine.com>
>> Initially, I was amazed at the highly innovative designs and ideas in
>> the magazine. Why didn't I think of those great ideas? Then, I
>> realized what was happening. The magazine is devoted to those that
>> would automate and computerize (usually with an Arduino board) common
>> devices that no respectable market research organization would
>> consider sellable or even desirable. Does the world really need a
>> programmable flashlight, kids kaleidoscope, or in this case doorbell?
>
> Of course not! Besides food and shelter, the world (i.e., it's
> inhabitants) doesn't NEED *anything*!
>
> I could simply leave the "far" gate closed/locked so folks not
> familiar with the set up would be kept ~20 ft away from the
> door -- i.e., no way to even KNOCK!
>
> But, there's no *fun* in that!
>
> SWMBO ***really*** likes the coin slot idea! I, however, fear it would
> be too tempting to vandals...
>
   How about something that looks exactly like the old-fashioned 
doorbell, plus a sigh that reads "WARNING! Do NOT press!".
   Proper possible actions 1) rotate, 2) grab and pull. If button is 
pressed, one of those mechanical joke hand "buzzers" rattles user's cage.

Personally get old one arm bandit, say they must get 2 cherries
(not say which 2).

Also mark out the front step/porch to look like it is a trap door.

-- 
Paul Carpenter          | paul@pcserviceselectronics.co.uk
<http://www.pcserviceselectronics.co.uk/>    PC Services
<http://www.pcserviceselectronics.co.uk/pi/>  Raspberry Pi Add-ons
<http://www.pcserviceselectronics.co.uk/fonts/> Timing Diagram Font
<http://www.badweb.org.uk/> For those web sites you hate

On 2/25/2015 9:13 AM, Paul wrote:
> Personally get old one arm bandit, say they must get 2 cherries
> (not say which 2).

I don't think that would "confound".  There's no "cost" to pulling
the arm (as there is no cost to pushing N buttons, etc.).  Unlike
the coin slot that requires the visitor to "make an investment"
to see *if* the slot does what he *thinks* it does.

> Also mark out the front step/porch to look like it is a trap door.

Wouldn't be believable on a ceramic tile porch (at grade level).

OTOH, a (empty?) water bucket perched overhead...

On Wed, 25 Feb 2015 11:50:30 -0700, Don Y wrote:

> On 2/25/2015 9:13 AM, Paul wrote:
>> Personally get old one arm bandit, say they must get 2 cherries (not
>> say which 2).
> 
> I don't think that would "confound".  There's no "cost" to pulling the
> arm (as there is no cost to pushing N buttons, etc.).  Unlike the coin
> slot that requires the visitor to "make an investment" to see *if* the
> slot does what he *thinks* it does.
> 
>> Also mark out the front step/porch to look like it is a trap door.
> 
> Wouldn't be believable on a ceramic tile porch (at grade level).
> 
> OTOH, a (empty?) water bucket perched overhead...

Make it a real bucket of "clear slime" and place a clear lexan plate under 
it, so they can see it coming before it hits the plate.

  Have the doorbell illuminate a sign that says "Look up!"

In article <mcl5hq$53t$1@speranza.aioe.org>, this@is.not.me.com says...
> On 2/25/2015 9:13 AM, Paul wrote:
> > Personally get old one arm bandit, say they must get 2 cherries
> > (not say which 2).
> 
> I don't think that would "confound".  There's no "cost" to pulling
> the arm (as there is no cost to pushing N buttons, etc.).  Unlike
> the coin slot that requires the visitor to "make an investment"
> to see *if* the slot does what he *thinks* it does.
> 
> > Also mark out the front step/porch to look like it is a trap door.
> 
> Wouldn't be believable on a ceramic tile porch (at grade level).
> 
> OTOH, a (empty?) water bucket perched overhead...
> 
> 


Four buttons :

One classical labelled "Friends"
One classical labelled "Customers"
One classical labelled "Deliveries"
One all metal shinny labelled "Others"

Gerardus

In article <0sgHw.1781752$yK.240460@fx14.iad>, robertbaer@localnet.com 
says...
> >> realized what was happening. The magazine is devoted to those that
> >> would automate and computerize (usually with an Arduino board) common
> >> devices that no respectable market research organization would
> >> consider sellable or even desirable. Does the world really need a
> >> programmable flashlight, kids kaleidoscope, or in this case doorbell?
> >
> > Of course not! Besides food and shelter, the world (i.e., it's
> > inhabitants) doesn't NEED *anything*!
> >
> > I could simply leave the "far" gate closed/locked so folks not
> > familiar with the set up would be kept ~20 ft away from the
> > door -- i.e., no way to even KNOCK!
> >
> > But, there's no *fun* in that!
> >
> > SWMBO ***really*** likes the coin slot idea! I, however, fear it would
> > be too tempting to vandals...
> >
>    How about something that looks exactly like the old-fashioned 
> doorbell, plus a sigh that reads "WARNING! Do NOT press!".
>    Proper possible actions 1) rotate, 2) grab and pull. If button is 
> pressed, one of those mechanical joke hand "buzzers" rattles user's cage.
> 
> 
 I can't believe all these threads running on this single subject..


All that just for a "Dingaling"

Jamie  :)

Well, we decided that the HAL9000 is the best compromise.

- (new visitors) won't really notice it until they are *at*
that location.
- it lets me place the camera in a more opportune position
- it lets me place the *microphone* closer to the visitor
(instead of requiring a high gain, highly directional microphone
to minimize background noise that might confound the recognizer)
- likewise puts the loudspeaker in a location where it doesn't
have to *blare* to be heard (think of HAL's "dulcet" voice)
- it doesn't intentionally annoy visitors to provoke retaliation
- low risk/temptation for vandalism (i.e., no *coins* to be gained
by smashing the "doorbell")
- it's programmable (it doesn't have to even acknowledge your
presence -- *or*, give feedback that your actions have been
noticed)
- and, best of all, it doesn't add anything to *my* list of
things to do (beyond research) as I can tap friends for the
various bits that will need to be fab'ed!

Preliminary searches turned up:
<http://www.danzelmo.com/lrg_hal_9000_art2.gif>
<http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/29/adafruit-how-to-build-hal-9000-replica/>
<http://www.2001spacesuit.com/HAL.html>
<http://www.christies.com/LotFinder/lot_details.aspx?from=salesummary&intObjectID=5374954&sid=72dd1318-30dc-439e-a9d3-6baefe22f1ac>

And, as I'm not trying to "fool a collector" but, rather, "present
a convincing facsimile", I'm sure I can fudge a wee bit on style,
dimensions and materials!  Likewise, as I only need to make *one*,
I don't have to target *specific* dimensions for reproducibility!

I'll drag out the movie and watch it tonight with an eye towards
identifying scenes where it is prominent.  I figure the biggest
issue will be sorting out how high off the ground to mount it
for "aesthetic appeal" as well as efficacy of the multimedia
devices housed within!

Thanks for the comments!  It was entertaining.  Also, interesting to
see how complex a "simple" problem can be!

[Though I *still* need to find an oddball use for the coin mech and
bill validator :-/ ]

On Wed, 25 Feb 2015 11:50:30 -0700, Don Y <this@is.not.me.com> wrote:

>On 2/25/2015 9:13 AM, Paul wrote:
>> Personally get old one arm bandit, say they must get 2 cherries
>> (not say which 2).
>
>I don't think that would "confound".  There's no "cost" to pulling
>the arm (as there is no cost to pushing N buttons, etc.).  Unlike
>the coin slot that requires the visitor to "make an investment"
>to see *if* the slot does what he *thinks* it does.

Cover the door surface with a mosaic of coarse grinding material so
knocking will very obviously be painful.  Get C's artist friends to
design something pretty.  Encode a clue in the mosaic image to the
location of a disguised doorbell.

Rig a tilt table under the porch tiles and (time delayed for those in
the know) rock the floor until they step off, fall on their ass or
press the hidden doorbell.

George