Touch Sensitive Alarm Circuit Using 555 Timer IC

INTRODUCTION
Machines have been eliminating humans on job tasks for several centuries. As a
human being, we definitely need certain actions to be done with a touch instead of pressing
buttons. If you are the one looking for such a smart device then here is your halt. In this
article, we will be discussing the simple touch sensitive devices which can be used to
operate LED or any home appliances.
This circuit turns ON and OFF an LED whenever it senses a touch. The best part of
this circuit is that very few components are required for the construction. In addition, it is
more superior to mechanical switches.

OBJECTIVES
❖ To design a Circuit which actives a buzzer alarm when touched by objects with electric
charge
❖ The output should stay ON with the help of a Latching mechanism ,after the input is
detected
❖ A reset switch to turn off the alarm

Components Used

● 555 Timer IC
● BC547 Transistor
● Buzzer
● Momentary Push Button Switch
● Resistors 1 x 10K
● Breadboard
● Breadboard Connectors
● 9V Power Supply
555 Timer

The 555 timer chip is extremely robust and stable 8-pin device that can be
operated either as a very accurate Monostable, Bistable or Astable Multivibrator to
produce a variety of applications such as one-shot or delay timers, pulse
generation, LED and lamp flashers, alarms and tone generation, logic clocks,
frequency division, power supplies and converters etc.The single 555 Timer chip in
its basic form is a Bipolar 8-pin mini Dual-in-line Package (DIP) device consisting of
some 25 transistors, 2 diodes and about 16 resistors arranged to form two
comparators, a flip-flop and a high current output stage

Supply voltage (VCC) 4.5 to 16 V

Supply current (VCC = +5 V) 3 to 6 mA

Supply current (VCC = +15 V) 10 to 15 mA

Output current (maximum) 200 mA

BC547 Transistor

BC547 is an NPN Transistor which allows a maximum of 100mA to flow

across the collector and emitter. It has a gain value of 110 to 800.

BC 547 Transistor acts as an open

switch during forward bias and will act as a
closed switch during reverse bias. Biasing
of Transistor can be done by giving the
required amount of current to the base
pin.Base current is not greater than 5mA .
To avoid that situation, a resistor is added
in series with the base of Transistor

max Collector-Emitter Voltage - 65V. max Collector-Base Voltage - 80V.

Buzzer

HYDZ piezo Buzzer-10mm

Voltage range : 5 V ~ 12V

Frequency : 2.8 KHz

Current Consumption: 50mA

Working

In the circuit, the output (buzzer/alarm) is OFF by default. Pin-6 of 555 timer ic is
connected to positive rail, so that it always sees a voltage more than 2/3rds of
supply voltage and keeps the output in OFF state.

For detecting the touch of our skin/finger, a conducting wire (labelled as Touch
Probe) is used. Pin-2 of the 555 timer IC is
connected to it so that whenever skin comes
in contact with the touch probe, it acts as a
ground (-ve voltage) causing Pin-2 to detect
a voltage less than 1/3rds of supply
voltage.The negative input to comparator No
1. A negative pulse on this pin “sets” the internal Flip-flop when the voltage drops
below 1/3Vcc causing the output to switch from a “LOW” to a “HIGH” state.
Because of this Pin-2 turns ON the output (The buzzer rings for a moment).

Immediately after the skin gets out of contact with the touch probe, pin-2 senses
nothing and so the output turns OFF. In order to keep the output latched, even after
the finger is removed from the touch probe, Pin-2 must sense less than 1/3rd of
supply voltage. In order to do that, a transistor is used to invert the output signal
and pass it to Pin-2.

So now immediately after Pin-2 senses a contact with the touch probe, it turns ON
the output momentarily. This activates the transistor and it in turn applies 0V at
Pin-2, thus keeping the output continuously in ON state (Now the buzzer rings
continuously).

To reset the circuit i.e. to turn OFF the alarm/buzzer, we need to apply a +ve
voltage at Pin-2. And pressing the momentary push button switch exactly does that.
CIRCUIT DIAGRAM
Advantages

● Touch switches have an infinite life and thus reduces the cost of
maintenance.
● This switch doesn’t need direct contact with metal and therefore completely
eliminates the security risks.
● Touch sensitive switch circuit gives a sleeker view to the electronic device

Applications

● In burglar detection systems that are based on changes in static charges

● In capacitive touch detection circuits
● As a replacement for momentary push button switch (The same circuit
without latching mechanism)

References

● wwww.elonics.org
● www.electricaltechnology.org
● robu.in
● wikipedia