Climb-Sense-Hold is a climbing hold that can sense when it is grasped by a climber. Intended for use in climbing gyms, especially on moon boards, it aims to enhance training by dynamically indicating the next hold to grab based on real-time sensing.
Check out a demo here
- Utilizes capacitive touch sensing facilitated by nickel-based conductive paint applied to the climbing holds.
- Hardware: Includes Arduino Mega 2560, Adafruit MPR121 touch sensor, conductive paint, and standard climbing hold materials.
- Functionality: Holds change color to guide climbers: blue for the next target, red for holds to avoid, and green to confirm a successful grip.
Flexible Pressure Sensor: First approach; discarded due to inconsistency and installation challenges.
Atmospheric Pressure Sensor: Second approach; discarded due to sealing issues and extremely fine granularity in pressure changes.
Capacitive Touch Sensing: Chosen method for its simplicity, minimal hardware requirements, and ease of integration.
I built a hang board featuring six sensor-equipped holds, implementing a game to aid in strength training. The system uses LEDs to guide the climber and simple logic to process touch input and control the LEDs.