Sip and Puff Switch

Picture from Enabling Devices of a Sip and Puff Switch mounted on a wheelchair


Purpose

Sip and Puff switches are switches that help users activate devices through the action of sipping and puffing air through a tube. This switch is commonly used for individuals who have limited or no use of their upper extremities to control devices, using only their mouth to activate the switch.


Purchasing and Price

Ready-Made switches on the market:


DIYs

DIY 1: Science Buddies’ Puff Switch

Note: In order to make this switch a basic activation switch, you do not need the tech components, just the craft supplies and a connection method, like alligator clips and an audio jack. (For more detail, look at the home page.)

Expertise Required

  • Basic circuit knowledge

Materials Required

  • micro:bit Go Bundle. ($21.95 - $27.99) This kit contains everything you will need to get started working with micro:bit:
    • micro:bit board ($15 - $20)
    • micro-USB cable ($2 - $5)
    • 2xAAA battery holder ($1 - $3)
    • AAA batteries (2) ($1 - $2)
  • Computer with internet access and USB port
  • Alligator clip leads ($3 - $5)
  • Craft supplies to build your puff switch. This is an engineering design project, so the exact materials you will need may vary depending on your design, but here are some suggestions:

Instructions

Results from Our Team’s Recreation of DIY

The DIY Puff switch was easy to replicate, and since it did not
require prior technical expertise or high-tech materials, it shows that this alternative is
affordable and easy to create, especially for those with little to no experience. Although the material used in the following figure is not of the highest quality, if made with care and with more sturdy material, the switch can last a good while if the straw is replaced to maintain proper sanitation protocols. In our attempt, we saw that it can be built without the use of a straw. No straw requires a stronger blow, as it is not focused, but might be a little easier for some users. We recommend paying attention to where you position your straw and blow, as having it too close to the base of the attached aluminum will not cause it to move enough. The longer the piece of aluminum is, the more flexible and easy it is to blow and contact the other side, causing a connection.

We connected the switch to a circuit board with an LED to test it, but you can connect the alligator clips to headphone jack wires, for example, and therefore be able to connect this switch to a device or adapted toy. (We speak more about this DIY connection process in the Other DIY Switches section of the website.)

Below, shows our sip and puff prototype.

A low-cost, handmade assistive switch utilizing foil contacts and masking tape, connected to a breadboard circuit to see connectivity. The design activates upon a gentle puff of air. The device is not activated in this picture.

A low-cost, handmade assistive switch utilizing foil contacts and masking tape, connected to a breadboard circuit to see connectivity. The device is activated in this picture with a gentle puff of air displacing the foil to the other side, creating a connection shown by a light blue LED.

Watch the demo on YouTube


DIY 2: AUTODESK Instructables

Expertise Required

  • Arduino Programming
  • Electronics and Circuit Design
  • Mechanical Skills

Materials Required

Instructions


DIY 3: BOB’s ELECTRONICS PROJECTS

Expertise Required

  • Soldering
  • Circuit Design
  • Arduino Programming

Materials Required

  • MPXV7007G Pressure Sensor ($5 - $10)
  • Adafruit Trinket (ATtiny85) or any compatible 3.3V microcontroller ($8 - $12)
  • Arduino ($5 - $15)
  • Remote Controlled Toy ($15 - $40)
  • Jumper Wires ($5 - $10)
  • Soldering Supplies ($10 - $30)
    • Soldering Iron
    • Solder
    • Flux
  • Male Header Pins ($1 - $3)
  • Hot Glue ($3 - $5)
  • 2x Batteries ($2 - $5)
  • Battery Holder ($1 - $3)
  • Multimeter ($10 - $20)
  • BreadBoard ($5 - $10)
  • Resistors/Capacitors ($5 - $10)

Instructions