Linear potentiometers - sliders

Potentiometers can be useful as sensors in various cases :
- to test a data acquisition system or the behavior of a program, it's a very simple and easy to use solution. One just needs to turn or slide the rod to change the signal ;
- as a sensor, a potentiometer can be connected or adapted to a moving mechanical system, and offer feedback on a rotation, twist or short distance movement. Many types of potentiometers exist, each more or less adapted for a specific measurement.

Potentiometers are very varied ; we offer many versions ; rotary, flexible ribbons, linear sliders of different sizes.

Linear potentiometers

A position, or movement detector. Just like its rotary equivalent, it can be mecanically integrated to all sorts of moving objects, springs, or even be used as an adjustment or testing slider . It is quite known in electronic music...

Even though the potentiometer is a contact sensor, since it needs to be moved directly by a person or device, it can be used like a no contact sensor. For example, hidden and linked to an object that the spectator ( danser or comedian) has to touch, turn or move. The movement is then detected on the potentiometer which returns data that can be made to trigger a reaction (in lighting, sound, mecanical controls etc...), which, from the spectator's point of view would not be caused by directly manipulating an obvious button, lever or slider.

Our different versions :

- Black plastic linear potentiometer
- Mini metallic linear potentiometer
- Medium metallic potentiometer

Despite its simplicity, the potentiometer is a sensor that can be quite useful in an interactive installation or in a performance, especially when interactive techniques are used on stage, in a decoration setting.

The potentiometers in our catalog are soldered to cards easy to attach, with 2 screw holes on one side and the other of the sensor. The 3 pin connector is at the opposite edge, aligned with the potentiometer.

The sensor can be screwed, stuck or attached onto a mount.

Black plastic linear potentiometer

Measurements :

• Complete potentiometer module : 8,7 cm long x 1 cm wide, x 1,6 cm high without the shaft ;
• Shaft sticks out by 1,3 cm
• Total heigth with shaft : 2,8 cm without the card
• Shaft's movement range : 7,2 cm
• 2 screw holes M3

Mini metallic linear potentiometer

Measurements :

• Complete potentiometer module : 4,1 cm long x 0,6 cm wide, x 0,3 cm high without the shaft ;
• Shaft sticks out by 0,45 cm
• Total heigth with shaft : 0,75 cm without the card
• Shaft's movement range : 3,4 cm
• 2 screw holes M3

Medium metallic linear potentiometers

Measurements :

• Complete potentiometer module : 7,4 cm long x 0,75 cm wide, x 0,55 cm high without the shaft ;
• Shaft sticks out by 1,5 cm
• Total heigth with shaft : 2,05 cm without the card
• Shaft's movement range : 6,65 cm
• 2 screw holes M3

Display of the data returned by the sensor : Pot-lin_moyen-IZ.mov (with sound). This display was made with Isadora. The most recent data is on the left, from there one can observe the evolution of the sensor's returned data over time.

Metallic logarithmic potentiometer

This sensor is no longer available to purchase.

Caution : this sensor is one of the linear potentiometers since it measures the linear movement of a shaft (mecanically), but the returned data is logarithmic and not linear (in the sense of sensor's response).

It's usage is a bit particular. It has a greater resolution on one side than the other. It permits a greater precision for adjustments in lower values.

Display of the sensor's returned data : video Pot-lin-log-IZ.mov. This display was made with Isadora. The logarithmic aspect of the response is observable by comparing the position of the shaft with displayed data. The most recent value is on the left.

Measurements :

• Complete potentiometer module : 12,75 cm long x 0,85 cm wide, x 0,6 cm high without the shaft ;
• Shaft sticks out by 1,45 cm
• Total heigth with shaft : 2,05 cm without the card
• Shaft's movement range : 11,1 cm
• 2 screw holes M3

Joysticks

Another page about logarithmic potentiometers : here.

Potentiometers caracteristics

• Manual or mecanical actuation
• Immediate reaction, compatible with real time.
• It's one of the rare sensors that maintain a constant level after being actuated : it doesn't return to a rest value when not being handled, hence it can be used for all sorts of calibrations and settings of visual and sound effects.
• Power consumption ; below 5 mA.

If needed, the potentiometers, linear or rotary, can be connected to the small electronic card by wires screwed into a domino connector on the card. This lets one easily change the potentiometer model if one wishes to test different versions.