Introduction

Investigating Heartbeat Sensor with the MOD Device

Since the MOD is a dildo platform, you can hook up any kind of sensor you wish that would normally work with an Arduino.

We have devised a way to use heartbeat sensing with the MOD device! Sounds exciting right? Well, it absolutely is and Comingle wants to share this information with you! Below you will find our step-by-step tutorial on how you can experience this phenomenon for yourself… or even share the experience with a partner!

Heartbeat Sensor & Multivibe

Using Heartbeat Sensor With the MOD!

How Does it Work?

Before we get started on explaining the set up for heartbeat sensing with your MOD, it may be useful to know a bit more on how this anomaly works. Essentially, an individual will strap on the heartbeat sensor to their chest, which will allow for the sensor to send a signal to the breadboard (which we will also learn to fabricate in this tutorial). The breadboard works specifically in partnership with the heartbeat sensor, allowing for the heartbeat to be detected and transmitted through the USB's breakout board, which will then send the heartbeat's pulse to the MOD device. This process is the technical essence of which the MOD operates in conjunction with heartbeat sensing.

Potential

What Are The Possibilities?

With three motors on the interior of the MOD, there are several variations in which we may activate them. We allow for the heartbeat to take on the role of signaling those variations by utilizing the Polar T34 heartbeat sensor. The variation is simply dependent on the way you have coded your MOD's reaction in relation to the heartbeat's signal. In this tutorial, we have provided the code that is required to detect your heartbeat. However, the code may be adjusted to create variation in the sequence of which the motors operate.

Tools & Materials

Setup

USB Ports, Plug In, Breadboard, Breakout board

Prepare Breadboard for Building Mounting T34 Polar Receiver

To begin, you will take your Polar T34 receiver (green chip) and mount it to your breadboard (red rectangle) as shown below. Make sure that you have made a connection before proceeding.

Mounting Breakout Board

Next, you will then take your breakout board (connected to red USB)
and mount it to the breadboard as shown below. Make sure that the Polar
receiver GRD is directly across from your breakout board's GRD.


Connecting Wires Horizontally


After mounting your Polar receiver and your breakout board, you will use your three wires to make connections horizontally.

Take first wire and connect breakout board GRD to Polar receiver GRD.
Take second wire and connect D+ of breakout board to the unit opposite the GRD end on the Polar receiver side of breadboard.
Take last wire and connect the VCC of breakout board to the middle unit on Polar receiver.
Take LED pin and place the longer side (neg) on GRD unit on breakout board side.
Take short side (pos) of LED and add to D+ unit on breakout board side.

Make sure to double check that you have followed the steps above
correctly and all connections have been made before proceeding to the
next step.

Connecting Breakout Board USB

After setting up your breadboard, you will then need to connect your
breakout board's USB. Take the USB connected to the breakout board and
connect the opposite end of the cord into the top port of the MOD. Make
sure you have securely connected your USB. After making this connection,
you will then be ready to program heartbeat detection to your MOD!

Programming

In order for your MOD device to detect heartbeat, you will need to
program it with the sketch titled, "Heartbeat" (shown below). The black
micro USB cord allows for you to program dildo.

Power on your MOD, with its micro USB connected to your computer. A
red light at the bottom of the dildo will turn on, signaling that it is
charging and connected.
In the Heartbeat below, click on "Run on Arduino."
MOD should respond accordingly. LED pin should light up in unison with the heartbeat being detected.
If no heartbeat is detected, see the directions below in next heading to troubleshoot.

Heartbeat Sketch

Troubleshooting

If you are having issues detecting heartbeat with your MOD, there are a few things that might be causing this error.

SPIT ON IT. First, make sure you have good electrical contact. These
sensors are made to be worn while sweaty, but if you haven't gotten
reved up yet, you can just lick the back of the chest strap before you
put it on. This is especially true if you are extra hairy like Andy
(pictured).
Then begin by making sure that your Polar T34 receiver is close
enough to the Polar T34 sensor to attain signal. If detection is still
not acquired, proceed to the next step.
Look at the USB cords/ports and make sure that they are properly
connected. While maneuvering your device, you may have accidentally
disconnected your USB cords. Double check to see that they are properly
fastened. If heartbeat detection is still not achieved, proceed to the
step below.
Double check that you have properly setup your breadboard, breakout
board, and Polar T34 receiver with the corresponding wires. Making sure
that the correct connections were made to each piece as specified
earlier in the "Setup" heading. Be sure to also check that a connection
has actually been made with the wires, pressing down on the materials
that we attached to the breadboard earlier. If heartbeat detection is
still not achieved, proceed to the next step.
By this point, if you are still unable to detect heartbeat with your
MOD device, double check that the Polar T34 Sensor is being worn
properly. The transmitter should be worn flat against the chest, with
the Polar logo in the upright position.

Experiment & Play!

Once you have successfully setup your device, try changing breathing
patterns to accelerate heart rate. You should notice that the MOD will
react to heartbeat differences upon detection!

To make things more interesting, you may grab a partner to wear the
sensor while you use the MOD or vice versa. This allows for the
individual wearing the sensor to have a seemingly intimate connection
with the individual actually using the MOD device, without even having
physical contact! Pretty cool, huh?

Hear at Comingle, we encourage play and are always looking to find
more ways to engage our audience. To help motivate these ventures, we
have created some standard sketches that will allow for you to
experiment with your device in more ways than one. Simply follow the
steps provided above within this tutorial, and click the "Run on
Arduino" button to reprogram your dildo to the sketches below. Enjoy!

Loop Sketch

Randomized Sketch