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2.6 Tilt It!

In this lesson, we’ll learn how to use a tilt switch with the Raspberry Pi Pico 2 to detect changes in orientation. A tilt switch is a simple device that can sense whether it is upright or tilted, making it useful for applications like motion detection, orientation sensing, or as a trigger based on position.

What You’ll Need

In this project, we need the following components.

It’s definitely convenient to buy a whole kit, here’s the link:

Name	ITEMS IN THIS KIT	LINK
Newton Lab Kit	450+	Newton Lab Kit

You can also buy them separately from the links below.

SN	COMPONENT	QUANTITY	LINK
1	Raspberry Pi Pico 2	1	BUY
2	Micro USB Cable	1
3	Breadboard	1	BUY
4	Jumper Wires	Several	BUY
5	Resistor	1(10KΩ)	BUY
6	Tilt Switch	1

Circuit Diagram

• When Upright (Switch Closed):

  • The tilt switch connects 3.3V directly to GP14.

  • The GPIO pin reads HIGH (1).

• When Tilted (Switch Open):

  • The tilt switch disconnects 3.3V from GP14.

  • The pull-down resistor pulls GP14 to GND.

  • The GPIO pin reads LOW (0).

Wiring

Writing the Code

Note

• You can open the file 2.6_tilt_it.ino from newton-lab-kit/arduino/2.4_colorful_light.

• Or copy this code into Arduino IDE.

• Select the Raspberry Pi Pico 2 board and the correct port, then click “Upload”.

const int tiltPin = 14;  // GPIO pin connected to the tilt switch

void setup() {
  Serial.begin(115200);       // Initialize Serial Monitor at 115200 baud
  pinMode(tiltPin, INPUT);    // Set the tilt pin as input
}

void loop() {
  int tiltState = digitalRead(tiltPin);  // Read the state of the tilt switch

  if (tiltState == HIGH) {
    Serial.println("The switch works!");
  }
  delay(100);  // Small delay to avoid flooding the Serial Monitor
}

When the code is running, and the Serial Monitor is open, tilt the breadboard or the tilt switch. Each time you tilt the switch to the upright position, “The switch works!” should appear in the Serial Monitor.

Understanding the Code

1. Initializing Serial Communication:

   Starts serial communication at a baud rate of 115200. This allows us to print messages to the Serial Monitor.

   Serial.begin(115200);
   

2. Setting Up the Tilt Pin:

   Configures tiltPin (GP14) as an input to read the state of the tilt switch.

   pinMode(tiltPin, INPUT);
   

3. Reading the Tilt Switch State:

   Reads the current state of the tilt switch. It will be HIGH when upright and LOW when tilted.

   int tiltState = digitalRead(tiltPin);
   

4. Responding to Tilt:

   If the tilt switch is upright (closed), print a message to the Serial Monitor.

   if (tiltState == HIGH) {
     Serial.println("The switch works!");
   }
   

Experimenting Further

• Control an LED: Modify the code to turn an LED on when the tilt switch is upright and off when tilted.

  const int tiltPin = 14;   // GPIO pin connected to the tilt switch
  const int ledPin = 15;    // GPIO pin connected to an LED
  
  void setup() {
    Serial.begin(115200);
    pinMode(tiltPin, INPUT);
    pinMode(ledPin, OUTPUT);
  }
  
  void loop() {
    int tiltState = digitalRead(tiltPin);
  
    if (tiltState == HIGH) {
      Serial.println("The switch works!");
      digitalWrite(ledPin, HIGH);  // Turn on LED
    } else {
      digitalWrite(ledPin, LOW);   // Turn off LED
    }
    delay(100);
  }
  

• Adjust Sensitivity: Some tilt switches have different sensitivity levels. Experiment by adjusting the orientation to see at what angle the switch activates.

Conclusion

In this lesson, you’ve learned how to use a tilt switch with the Raspberry Pi Pico to detect changes in orientation. This fundamental skill allows you to create projects that respond to movement or position, such as alarms, automatic lighting, or interactive devices.