The instructions for this project are incomplete, but you basically step on the circuit on each tile with a conductive sole shoe (you could use aluminum tape glued under your shoe) to close the circuits. I hope to be able to add more detailed instructions and pictures soon. For now, you can check out http://royconejo.host.sk/, it was heavily inspired from it.
WARNING: Before anybody attempts to build this dance pad, please note that after a while I suddenly started having intermittent problems (it stops working). If I unplug it and plug it back, it starts working fine again for a while. I think the problem is caused by the wires connected to the circuit board being too long. It might change the inductance and/or capacitance too much and the circuit board can’t handle it. I don’t know much about electronics so If anyone know how to fix this, please let me know. I tried with a USB circuit board and a USB board with a PS/2 adapter without any luck.
Finished Dance Pad
Tools and Supplies List
- Tacker
- Wire Strippers
- Screw Driver & Screws
- Circular Saw
- Jigsaw
- Utility Knife
- Drill
- Drill bit (from 1/16″ to 1/8″ (1.5mm to 3mm) should do)
- Plyers
- Soldering Iron & Solder
- Sand Paper
- Pen
- Framing Square
- Hammer
- Punch
- Plywood
- Copper Wire (I stripped Cat5 network cable and phone cable)
- Measuring Tape
- Paint
- Cardboard
- 8×11 Paper
- Aluminum Tape
- Level (4ft)
- Large Tape
- Clamps
- Shoes with aluminum tape taped underneath (to create the shorts when you dance)
- USB Keyboard (or PS/2 if you current keyboard is not PS/2) Note: A few tools and supplies are optional but they either make the job easier or the dance pad prettier.
Get keyboard circuits (find out how we will use them at http://www.instructables.com/id/S9XKHQXFDIY309O/)
keyboard opened
keyboard's circuit board
dance pad painted w/o wires
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Cut plywood Mine is 37″ x 37″ not including the header (where the circuit board is going to be installed
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Paint the hole plywood sheet black
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Stick strips of aluminum paper on edges and to create a grid with 9 even squares
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Paint symbols using red spray paint and stencils
spray paint stencil
spray paint stencil 1
wires_underneath_1
wires_underneath_2
wires_underneath_3
wires_underneath_4
finished_dance_pad_1
finished_dance_pad_2