A tilt control switch is an electrical device used to detect orientation. Like using a mini pushbutton and a light detector, a tilt control switch is another way to interact with and control the Arduino.
The tilt control switch is a pair of small metal balls that make contact with pins and close the circuit when the electrical device is held in an upright position. Figure 3-9 shows a typical tilt control switch. The tilt control switch can be wired to a resistor to make an orientation detection sensor circuit.
Figure 3-10 shows an orientation detection sensor circuit and its electrical operating conditions. The Arduino’s D2 pin is wired to the 1KΩ resistor in order to receive either a zero or five volt control signal, based on the tilt control switch orientation. With the tilt control switch pins open, the voltage across the 1KΩ resistor is zero volts. When the switch pins are closed, the 1KΩ resistor has a five volt signal across it.
Figure 3-9. Typical tilt control switch
TECH NOTE
As you rotate the tilt control switch, you can actually hear the small metal balls move around.
Figure 3-10. Orientation detection sensor operation: open tilt control switch (left), closed tilt control switch (right)
TECH NOTE
Tilt sensor is another name used for tilt control switch.
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