Arduino project · Motion and security · Medium
Hand Swipe Direction Detector
Two IR sensors side by side see which one your hand crosses first. A green LED means swipe right, a yellow LED means swipe left.
What you will learn
- How the order of two events gives direction
- How gesture sensors work
- How to remember a result in a variable
How it works
Whichever sensor fires first sets the variable "dir" to 1 or 2. The matching LED lights for 1.5 seconds.
Try this next
- Use the swipe to turn the pages of a menu.
- Switch a lamp on a right swipe and off on a left swipe.
- Show the direction on an LCD.
The simulator program and explanation on this page are original. The idea follows a classic Arduino project that students have built for years.
Parts: sensors and actuators (tap to show or hide)
Try the inputs (virtual sensors)
Pins (you can change them)
| Part | Arduino pin (change it here) | How to wire it |
|---|
Every wire, one by one
Red rail = 5 V from the Arduino 5V pin. Black rail = GND. The coloured wires carry signals. Match the wire colours on the drawing to this list.
| # | Colour | From (part and leg) | To |
|---|
Steps run from top to bottom, then start again. While the simulation runs, the active step is highlighted in green.
Quantities come from the parts you added. The store links open a search for that item on Robu.in, Amazon.in and ThinkRobotics, so you always see what is in stock today. Check the model, voltage and price before you order.
| # | Item | Qty | Search term | Buy / compare |
|---|
The PDF has the circuit sketch, pin table, every wire, sequence, full code, the parts list with store links, do’s and don’ts for each part, and the safety notes. The project file lets you come back and keep editing.
In the real world
A swipe sensor
Swipe a hand across two beams. The order decides left or right.
Tip: use the gold tab at the bottom of the circuit drawing to pull the real-world view up over the Arduino board. Your parts stay visible above it, so you can press a button and watch the real scene react.
- Two IR sensors = two beams
- LEDs = swipe direction