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2.9 Feel the Magnetism

In this lesson, we’ll explore how to use a reed switch with the Raspberry Pi Pico 2 to detect the presence of a magnetic field. A reed switch is a simple electrical switch that operates using a magnetic field. When a magnet comes near the switch, its internal contacts close, completing an electrical circuit.

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

Reed Switch

1

Understanding the Reed Switch

A reed switch consists of two thin metal reeds sealed within a glass capsule. These reeds are made of ferromagnetic material and are positioned slightly apart. In the absence of a magnetic field, the reeds are separated, and the switch is open. When a magnet comes near the switch, the reeds become magnetized, attract each other, and close the circuit.

  • No Magnet Nearby: Switch is open; the circuit is incomplete.

  • Magnet Nearby: Switch is closed; the circuit is complete.

img_reed_sche

Circuit Diagram

sch_reed

By default, GP14 is low; and will go high when the magnet is near the reed switch.

The purpose of the 10K resistor is to keep the GP14 at a steady low level when no magnet is near.

  • No Magnet Nearby:

    • The reed switch is open.

    • GP14 is connected to GND through the pull-down resistor.

    • The GPIO pin reads LOW (0).

  • Magnet Nearby:

    • The reed switch is closed.

    • GP14 is connected to 3.3V through the reed switch.

    • The GPIO pin reads HIGH (1).

Wiring Diagram

wiring_reed

Writing the Code

We’ll write a MicroPython program that detects when a magnet is near the reed switch and prints a message accordingly.

Note

  • Open the 2.9_feel_the_magnetism.py from newton-lab-kit/micropython or copy the code into Thonny, then click “Run” or press F5.

  • Ensure the correct interpreter is selected: MicroPython (Raspberry Pi Pico).COMxx.

import machine
import utime

# Initialize GP14 as an input pin
reed_switch = machine.Pin(14, machine.Pin.IN)

while True:
    if reed_switch.value() == 1:
        print("Magnet detected!")
        utime.sleep(1)  # Delay to avoid multiple detections

When the code is running, you will observe the following phenomenon:

  • No Magnet Nearby: No message should appear.

  • Bring a Magnet Close: “Magnet detected!” should appear in the console.

  • Move Magnet Away: The message stops appearing.

Understanding the Code

  1. Import Modules:

    • import machine: Access to hardware functions.

    • import utime: Time-related functions.

  2. Initialize the Reed Switch Pin:

    • reed_switch = machine.Pin(14, machine.Pin.IN): Sets up GP14 as an input pin.

  3. Main Loop:

    • while True: Starts an infinite loop.

    • if reed_switch.value() == 1: Checks if a magnet is near (GPIO pin reads HIGH).

    • print("Magnet detected!"): Outputs a message.

    • utime.sleep(1): Adds a delay to prevent rapid repeated messages.

Using Interrupts for Efficient Detection

Instead of constantly polling the reed switch in a loop, we can use an interrupt to detect changes in the reed switch state more efficiently.

Using interrupts enhances efficiency by eliminating the need for continuous checking of the reed switch state and improves responsiveness by immediately calling the handler function when the event occurs.

Modified code using interrupts. When you bring a magnet close to the reed switch, “Magnet detected!” will appear. The main program remains free to perform other tasks.

import machine

# Initialize GP14 as an input pin with internal pull-down resistor
reed_switch = machine.Pin(14, machine.Pin.IN, machine.Pin.PULL_DOWN)

def magnet_detected(pin):
    print("Magnet detected!")

# Set up an interrupt on the rising edge (LOW to HIGH transition)
reed_switch.irq(trigger=machine.Pin.IRQ_RISING, handler=magnet_detected)

  • def magnet_detected(pin): This function is called automatically when the interrupt is triggered.

    • print("Magnet detected!"): Outputs a message when a magnet is detected.

  • reed_switch.irq(trigger=machine.Pin.IRQ_RISING, handler=magnet_detected): Configures an interrupt on the reed switch pin.

    • trigger=machine.Pin.IRQ_RISING: The interrupt triggers on a rising edge (when the pin value goes from LOW to HIGH).

    • handler=magnet_detected: Specifies the function to call when the interrupt occurs.

Practical Applications

  • Security Systems: Detect when a door or window is opened.

  • Position Sensing: Determine the position of moving parts in machinery.

  • Proximity Detection: Trigger events when a magnetic object comes near.

Experimenting Further

  • Control an LED:

    Connect an LED to another GPIO pin (e.g., GP15) with a suitable resistor. Modify the interrupt handler to turn the LED on when a magnet is detected.

    import machine

reed_switch = machine.Pin(14, machine.Pin.IN, machine.Pin.PULL_DOWN)
led = machine.Pin(15, machine.Pin.OUT)

def magnet_detected(pin):
    led.value(1)  # Turn on the LED

# Set up an interrupt on the rising edge
reed_switch.irq(trigger=machine.Pin.IRQ_RISING, handler=magnet_detected)

# Main loop
while True:
    # Turn off the LED when the magnet is not present
    if reed_switch.value() == 0:
        led.value(0)
    machine.sleep(100)

  • Detect Magnet Removal:

    Set up another interrupt for the falling edge (when the magnet is moved away).

    def magnet_removed(pin):
    print("Magnet removed!")

reed_switch.irq(trigger=machine.Pin.IRQ_FALLING, handler=magnet_removed)

Conclusion

Using a reed switch with the Raspberry Pi Pico 2 allows you to detect the presence of a magnetic field, enabling a wide range of applications from security systems to interactive projects. Understanding how to wire the reed switch and utilize interrupts enhances your ability to create efficient and responsive programs.

References