Really 99999 RPM? Fidget Spinners: Using lasers to measure RPM (DIY Arduino tutorial)

Ever wanted to see how fast your fidget spinner can spin? Want to count how many times it spins before it stops? Can it do 99,999 rpm? I’ll show you in this video how to measure the speed, rpm, total rotations and other stats of your fidget spinner! This video is a DIY video to make your own RPM meter with Arduino and a laser pointer. This is a great way to measure your spinner tricks, or even make a baseline for your spinner against your others.
Buy Fidget Spinners: amzn.to/2A1JMS7
WARNING: Please do not do this at home. If the fidget spinner comes loose, it can be extremely dangerous! I wore safety goggles and used a clamp.
How does it work? Well, it’s very simple, as the fidget spinner spins, it cuts the beam of the laser pointer. The light sensor picks up this change, and it can calculate the speed of the fidget spinner by the rate at which the hand spinner cuts the beam, neat huh?
The code itself is simple, and you can download all you need here:
www.dropbox.com/sh/8wuyl1bkdk...
I wrote all of it myself, so feel free to make a comment if you’ve got issues or suggestions!
Buy the parts I used here: amzn.to/2A1JMS7
(Affiliate)
You’ll have to upload the code to your Arduino, then fire up processing and load the sketch, that’s it!
Processing: processing.org/download/
Arduino: www.arduino.cc/en/main/software
Have fun.
Contact me here: [e-mail]
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My setup: amzn.to/2A1JMS7
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[@iBuyNewStuff]

Have Instagram? Come follow me and say hi! instagram.com/ibuynewstuff/

[@amarilayne768]

iBuyNew. Fuck

[@amarilayne768]

Sorry. Didn't. Meento

[@user-lp5dm4cz9i]

iBuyNewStuff

[@Kong-lz8pg]

iBuyNewStuff 🧤

[@Advenyx]

Finally someone that writes RPM instead of MPH, mankind has been saved

[@iBuyNewStuff]

That's all I ever wanted.

[@siili_1464]

Edaelis Is RPM rounds per minute?

[@coltonwood8381]

No it means Revolutions Per Minute

[@siili_1464]

Thanks

[@MoonMoon-bb7du]

EpicBeverage or revolutions per minute

[@threenrk]

When the laser pointer was invented, it made a scientific breakthrough. It became a cat toy. Now people are using it to measure the RPM of a fidget spinner. Science rules!

[@iBuyNewStuff]

I know right?! What a time to be alive

[@okbudde4873]

no not really

[@CPT_Nelson]

I wish the first cat who caught that laser beam was immortalized on a monument.

[@tylerdrake9896]

iBuyNewStuff o

[@sebastianozaro]

Gnaph i

[@LegitDiamondTehFIRST]

Isn't it technically 4,000 RPM since there's three sides? I haven't checked the code but if your haven't changed the code to make up for the three sides, it would technically max out at around 4,000 RPM

[@logisticallogic8673]

what would the sides have to do with anything? It still rotates at the same speed?

[@LegitDiamondTehFIRST]

I'm guessing the light sensor detects every time it shows light and when it has more sides, it flashes more and instead of detecting just one side when it goes all the way around, it detects three sides which tricks it into thinking one side is going all the way around at just 1/3 of a full rotation.

[@wesleythomas6858]

LogisticalLogic because to complete one full rotation, there will be three pulses. Essentially three pulses per revolution, exactly how an incremental encoder is specified. So in order to find out the RPM (revolutions per minute) you would need to divide by the pulses per revolution factor. Dumb ass X

[@logisticallogic8673]

LegitDiamond ok I see what you guys were saying

[@RandomGuyVideos]

You are probably right.

[@magicstix0r]

Fidget spinners and lasers? Somehow I always thought this would be how Warp Drive finally gets invented...

[@StaviKay]

1:58 I laughed pretty hard when they matched the sound of the thing with the music

[@delrasshial7200]

lmao

[@xgozulx]

its over 9000!

[@iBuyNewStuff]

I was actually thinking of Vegeta at 0:12 going super saiyan, haha!

[@jovannatosevic5936]

Adri Da Grizzly its a meme

[@tommykuklunsky9111]

*OOOVVVVEEEERRRRRR NIINEE TTTHHHHOOOUUUSSSAAND*

[@adriannaatilano1373]

looooooool nice ine

[@WampaStompa1996]

IT'S TRUE, HE REALLY IS SUPER SAND LESBIAN *dies*

[@jeremycarter]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but shouldn't it be 33,333 RPM? The reason I ask is because the break in the laser is occurring between each arm of the spinner. With there being three arms that breaks the laser, making it think that it has created one revolution. Plus there's no set "starting point" for the spinner for the laser to be able to accurately measure the RPMs. Look at a bicycle speedometer. There's a sensor on the spokes and as it makes its revolution past the sensor you get a logical readout for your speed. You would need to have some kind of marking or something on one of the arms for the sensor to get a more realistic read. Logically, there is NO WAY on God's green earth that something can spin at 99,999 RPM anyway. The fastest plater hard drives run at 15,000 RPM. To tell me that a spinner is running 6x-7x that is ridiculous.

[@iBuyNewStuff]

The logic in the code was programmed with this in mind. It counts every change from "light" to "dark" and vice versa. Every 6, it counts a rotation. I'm not sure why lots of people are assuming I didn't think of this.

[@ponchobolanos5895]

Its 9,999 actually you dumb shits

[@synergy021]

There are 3 holes when spinning so you'd get 3 on and off pulses per revolution therefore your actual RPM should be whatever number you are getting divided by 3.

[@tommarongtakrudjam6504]

ฃหนกพกยดยดยเบเบดยดะดบดดลดส

[@iBuyNewStuff]

Best I seemed to get was around 12000 RPM before my hardware couldn't read anymore. Looks like all those peeps on YT are probably wrong! EDIT: Also updated the code now, so it's buttery smooth alll the way up!

[@iBuyNewStuff]

What do you mean? Others put mph on their vids? mph in a rotation context doesn't make much sense anyway, so yeah it is wrong, but more people understand it so I think that's more alluring.

[@RodamisCZ]

Why is there in the title 99999 RPM then?

[@iBuyNewStuff]

Because there are like 162652 videos that have that in the title, and I'm questioning it.

[@fomalhaut_the_great]

Butterly smooth? I wasn't aware butter was all that smooth.

[@7500Sterling]

Shouldn't you divide it by 3, since you are getting a "input" 3 times in a rotation? or is it just me?

[@caliremus]

I did the same without laser and rpm measurments, I was just bored, it reached a speed where the plastic collapsed and one of the outside bearings hitted my hand so hard that it hurted for a couple of weeks, so watchout, if it would have hitted my eye or other places it could have been way worst

[@HexxxiZ]

Well yes but it's divided by 3 since it measures each side as a full rotation. Simple solution. Add something abit higher on one side and balance the other sides up to compensate for the added weight and you will get a more accurate reading.

[@Zolee1023]

Great vid!! :D the air peressure and spinning things ist allways funny

[@matthewmitchell4573]

Title says 99,999 rpm not 9,999

[@zazuch]

It has a question mark at the end of the statement. Which implies he is asking can these really go 99k RPMS. Which he proves it doest.

[@matthewmitchell4573]

zazuch at no point does it say he is trying to disprove it. He shows the spinner getting to 9,800 RPM (approx), and the. Shows you how to do it yourself. Disproving a statement doesn't require a hands on tutorial for the viewers.

[@matthewmitchell4573]

zazuch it is simply a classic grab for more views. Nothing against that, but was just pointing it out.

[@Watamedayo]

Matthew Mitchell the video is trying to tell us that spinners can't reach 99,999 rpm

[@zazuch]

Clearly you dont understand the use of a ? which if you dont I cant help you understand this.

[@matheusmello2577]

Actualy, its 9000/3... the spinner has 3 light blockers... they see each of the "arms" of the spinner as a "full spin"... so... X/3

[@zazuch]

He said elsewhere that he accounted for this. So in the programming it takes the light flashes and divides by how many sides there are.

[@yoursleepparalysismonster8391]

Nappa: Vegeta what does the scouter says about the rpm Vegeta: *IT'S OVER NINE THOUSAND*

[@SaltyFrankie]

A good trick for usb plugs is that the end of the cable where you see two holes in the metal the side that is hollow is up.

[@HectorBenitoMinguez]

finally one who demonstrates the speed, not just clickbait

[@Ash-pi7mh]

and was still wrong! it was going 3709 and prob less with the beta software and shit lazer

[@HectorBenitoMinguez]

yeah, but at least he tried. Now someone has to measure the 1000 degrees knife

[@Ash-pi7mh]

you want the science behind it?? i shall provide... just say thine words.

[@RandomGuyVideos]

If a Fidget Spinner is spinning at 99999RPM it'd go 913MPH in Linear Velocity (Assuming it's the regular of 3.9cm).. If a Fidget Spinner is going 913mph in Linear Velocity it'd go faster than the speed of sound causing high air pressure, causing a sonic boom.. When a sonic boom happens, people in a radius of around 5 km have their ear drums popped.. Conclusion? There isn't anyone and there never will be someone who'll make their fidget spinner spin 99999 rpm..

[@iBuyNewStuff]

Maybe. But you're thinking in the context of fighter jets for the sonic booms, which are much, much larger that fidget spinners.

[@RandomGuyVideos]

What would the difference be?

[@RandomGuyVideos]

Its still reeeeaaaally loud

[@iBuyNewStuff]

Whips break the sound barrier, but they don't blow people's eardrums.

[@RandomGuyVideos]

Yeah.. But it can cause ear damage..

[@isa91511]

2:07 what a koenigsegg sounds like

[@alb5338]

Great Scott!!

[@iBuyNewStuff]

love his channel!

[@galaxxKBD]

can it fit in my civic

[@swagmaster-vn2dx]

what

[@spacekraken666]

*IT'S OVER NINE THOUSAAAND*

[@prususpect82]

i was about to comment the same thing XD

[@whengrapespop5728]

11k, actually

[@prususpect82]

It's not 11k actually, it's 11k specifically

[@quesora5740]

i love that reference xD

[@lvlaksh_2643]

dragon Ball z reference

[@nicolaslaine8058]

Fidget spinners started off as fun little spinny toys. Now people are spinning them at the speed of sound. We humans really are the smartest creatures ever...

[@TURK_182]

What a creative way to measure rpm!

[@bomoonen7453]

nope the spinner has 3 arms and sinse your system measers the amound of times the lichtbeam is broken you need to devide it by 3 because the light gets broken 3 times per rpm

[@TheMrFrontera]

Nice catch. I want to see a tachometer reading. I'm sure someones done it

[@YJ-over]

The creator accounted for the 3 sides thing.

[@TheMrFrontera]

Yeah i was reading through his code to check after reading bo's comment. Still think a decent tachometer will give a more accurate read but idk i guess i'd have to look at the datasheet for the light sensor

[@ajprince8297]

I subbed I love you ibns

[@iBuyNewStuff]

ilu2 Alex

[@anthonycannet1305]

It's actually measuring each time one "peg" spins in front of the laser and thinks every spin is actually 3. When it reads 9999 it's actually only 3333

[@ilovejakobirvingsytchannel9329]

Finally a video that doesn't lie about how fast the fidget spinner goes

[@megaoyunvideolar1575]

clickbait

[@kaiido]

"Dragoon Engine gear!"

[@TheAmethyz]

Also was it considered that the laser flashes to sensor 3 times per one round? so real rpm would be divided by 3?

[@ajprince8297]

I'm alex I live in Alabama I'm 10

[@grampton]

You have ADD?

[@Darkethi]

ADD* Dumbass, there's a difference.... Don't correct people if you are wrong.

[@brokemysosig]

Alex Jones but are you wanna be free !? ;)

[@svhnsjdjahshs4745]

Alex Jones can i also have your bank details and your address ?? 😂😂

[@zawesfcaswe1641]

even though he is 10 do you think he is stupid enough to give you that and he probably doesnt even know the bank details

[@flacko3707]

dislike because of clickbate

[@speedwagonoverheaven9716]

The sound is so satisfying

[@Potato22]

The only quality Fidget spinner video

[@s4ndwichMakeR]

What’s the maximum sampling frequency for the light sensor?

[@iBuyNewStuff]

Great question! The rise and fall time seem to be about 160us each, i.e 320us. That gives a maximum sample rate of 2778Hz or 166 667 rpm. But the code would obviously make this constrained.

[@s4ndwichMakeR]

What do you mean with the last sentence? Is the maximum defined by the code higher or lower than what the oscillator can provide? Otherwise thank you for pointing out the figures.

[@iBuyNewStuff]

Well, that's the absolute maximum sampling that the light sensor could provide (just by itself). But you have to include the code operation on top of that, which would make it a lot slower. (Process the input change, execute functionalilty, output reading, etc.)

[@90tegls]

I may be mistaken...but doesn't the spinner having 3 sides make it seem to the measuring instrument that the spinner is goin a lot faster than it is? Every time the spinner interrupts the laser it counts it as 1 revolution right?

[@JerichoUno]

Subbed☺

[@alphamav]

Thank you for having fun for our entertainment.

[@privat6077]

have you considered that you trigger the laser 3 times during one rotation ? (3 "legs" of spinner)

[@taijeronevera]

Imagine speeding up to 500 light years per sec and it made an wormhole of how fast it was going

[@camlasley2215]

Technically you have to divide that by three since there's three sides and you just want total RPMs of the spinner

[@debajyotisg]

could you also upload the circuit schematics?

[@coldwinter1884]

How do i change the code so it can account regular motor rotation, i have to change the number of pulses for each specific object that i'm analysing? And the color of the laser has to be green? Which color is the most precise?

[@asreangaming8154]

since the light is blocked 3 times per rotation wouldnt that mean you need to divide your RPM by 3

[@sudgdg9529]

Amazing dude :)

[@denkodenis214]

Does it measure a rotate for every 3 times the light hits the sensor? Because the fidget spinner has 3 wings and it doesn't measure the right RPM if its measuring 3x faster.

[@alexisgrollier8161]

U got to divise the rotation speed by 3. The laser will reflect each part of the hand spinner.

[@pikatzer]

shouldn't it be what you see divided by 3? since there are 3 spokes interrupting the light every rotation

[@krabchefenstein8373]

I would love to have as much random stuff as he do. I always come up with crazy ideas but got nothing to work with

[@williamgustafsson8034]

I just want to make this more clearly ⚠️At this speed of rotation ball bearings can get really hot. If they gets to hot the plastic burns, that's not good and the smoke from burning plastic is not good for health. It can also cause fire⚠️

[@gabrielegenota1480]

This would make a great research topic (based on this not just this entirely)! If this topic isn't approved i don't know what will!

[@iBuyNewStuff]

Awesome. If you do something please email me, I'd love to hear about it.

[@jaymann1364]

if you are having problems every time you plug in to your computer, you have trubble every time ya say just take a marker and make a line on the side up of your plug and mark a line or do on computer so every time you know your plugged in the right detection everytime

[@ankitnathtiwari]

What are you using to run the fidge spinner so fast???

[@rumpires6485]

YOU HAVE TO DIVIDE BY 3 SIDES. Should be around 300 and something. It still is very pleasing to see.

[@XDiagoXD]

The problem that you have when you reach around 7.000 RPM is related with the processor speed of the arduino so it can not read properly. Try a different arduino with a different crystal frequency and compare the results. If you do share the link.

[@PRO-NOOB-GAMER]

ehm someone might have asked already but doesnt it count all 3 sides of the spinner? if it does shouldnt u divide it by 3 to get the real rpm?

[@LVL1Yo-YoGuy]

you smart tech, good for you keep up the good work👍

[@thenathorp]

Finally! Somebody used RPM!

[@Yarsig]

Wonder how many G's are being put out from the tips of those things.

[@outworldcore3957]

what type of spray did you use?

[@killthebassist.8259]

What the music please, and where can I download it, I know it's highz- littleclubbthing but I can find it anywhere

[@recoverymain8498]

Well it didn't reach 99999 rpm, but still it was cool to see how it got 11000, how did you make that fidget spinner to spin so fast?

[@iheartdonut]

I haven't tested, but your code looks legit. The instability after about 7k~rpm might have less to do with the lights intensity or the rooms darkness, and more to do with the strength of using a Nano. A better option in your code might be to count just the high points of the light sensor rather than the changes, making the Nano have less to calculate. But then again, this isn't my project, and I might assume you'd already thought of that?

[@iBuyNewStuff]

Yep, I actually took out the computations from the interrupt and it ran much faster (no stuttering at all, buttery smooth), I just haven't updated the code in the link. In the interrupt I just sent a signal to the computer, and that did the computation for time deltas.

[@everettemills4804]

I think I know how to do this, but if you could share your changes that would be great. My son and I are building this setup and doing some experiments/testing for his 4th grade science fair project.

[@iheartdonut]

I never actually ended up attempting this one myself. But if I were to try it out, I might use an Arduino Mega as it has a lot more processioning power. For reading the high ends, I would use a simple "greater than" statement, and maybe even pop in a trimmer pot to keep it smooth. Though, that might take a bit more trial and error. And you might need an amp chip to get that signal to spike in said pot. Again, this isn't a project I've done myself, so don't take my suggestions as gospel. Good luck! and have fun!

[@mr_wolfi9140]

question the spinner has 3 arms so you would get a false reading ? i have a rpm tester and you only must put the reflector on one side so i would think you would get a reading 2 times as the actual speed?

[@iBuyNewStuff]

I think I coded it correctly.

[@maulerrw]

did you sub out the bearings? i swear the bearings in spinners came out of 20yo skate boards for how rough they are off the shelf. The side play is real!

[@iBuyNewStuff]

Nope, these are the bearings that came with it.

[@mevensc21]

actually a good idea to use a light sensor to get the values

[@langtov1838]

Best video EVER!

[@ruckmens]

question for anyone: does this program count the revs by how many times the arms on the spinner go past?, and if so how does the program know there are only 3 arms to make 1 rev. there could be 5 arms on a spinner?

[@iBuyNewStuff]

Yes, it knows there are 3 arms. I made it easily adjustable in the code to make it up to any arms you want.

[@Nobody-yw3zx]

What is the tool you was useing to blow air on the fidget spinner

[@iBuyNewStuff]

It's just an air compressor

[@liutaurasskvireckas5540]

-wow 99999 rpm ? -no its not person that just got clickbaited

[@hannesdieling6329]

does the laser pointer really make it fast

[@thebaconbros.2454]

There's a problem with the window display code i'm not if you know but the window size can't be processed in the pde file

[@iBuyNewStuff]

Hmm, I'll have a look a little later. Can you email me the error? I think my dropbox might be screwing up.

[@ScorchtheHawk]

AND THIS! IS TO GO EVEN FURTHER BEYOND!!!

[@kierandeuel7222]

Um its only 1/3 of that because its measuring after every circle of the spinner, not after every full loop

[@petro062]

If you spin a bearing with an air gun it could explode if it heats up and send metal like bullets. If 1 ball locks up it will explode.

[@jarredh2868]

Wait so this going almost faster that the speed of sound??is that possible

[@nilsgr]

Dont you have to devide that number by 3 anyways, since the laser will be interrupted 3 times in a whole spin?

[@iBuyNewStuff]

That's what essentially happens :)

[@BitGridTV]

does your counter devide it by 3?

[@chrismesogitis9310]

Do you think that I already have a breadboard, wires and resistors?

[@iBuyNewStuff]

If you're into electronics, highly likely. If not, they're very cheap.

[@Khalless]

Question. Can we use this to measure speed of object like speed gun used by traffic cop?

[@iBuyNewStuff]

Nope, unfortunately. This works by counting the times the light is 'cut' by time. Well.. depends. If you know how long your object is, then you could set this up so that the object cuts through it, and measure the time it took to cut through. Then if you know its length, v = d/t

[@Khalless]

iBuyNewStuff an interesting way to calculate, thanks for the tip

[@noneuno53]

can we see a bedini motor made with spinners?

[@PaulWongMac]

Number of RPM is right? The laser sensor will get 3 times in a round! The number need divided by three?

[@tylerchacon419]

What program did you write the code in? I'm just starting to get into programming so I'm new to the game and rather slow to be brutally honest. I just took my first python class so I'm the epitome of a rookie.

[@iBuyNewStuff]

Hey there Tyler, nice of you to start programming, it's a great hobby of mine and I studied it at uni. My favourite type is embedded, which is applications of programming in physical environments. I also love python. This is programmed in Arduino, a combination of C/C++. It's got it's own software which you can download from the description. You can program the microcontroller with the Arduino software to do functions for you, in this case, I made it read a light sensor. (It helps to know a bit of electronics, but there are tutorials of things if you don't know how to do them all over the web.) The second piece of software I used is called Processing. This is the computer-side code that makes the nice display of the speed. I used Arduino to send my computer it's sensor readings, and processing (from my computer) can convert these readings into any display-style you can think of. So the microcontroller is constantly passing strings to my computer, which interprets it and renders a display. Processing is also in C/C++. You can download this software, and the code I used in the description. Good luck with Python, it's really fun!

[@jahuey1183]

If u spin it quick enough will it break

[@DaMajesticMuffin]

i have the exact same laser pointer as you xD It says on mine that it can go for 540 nautical miles and i got it for £3

[@markweeks7548]

well you actually need to divide it by 3 as you are counting one break in the laser line a 1 revolution and your breaking it 3 times per revolution so your reading will be 3 times higher than what it actually is so if it was 99,999rpm then the true rom would actually be 33,333rpm

[@markweeks7548]

that being said ...... still funny to watch this to see how fast it can go

[@kamehax]

did you divided by 3 the pulses?

[@jdm_is_lifelmao2115]

This is like a dyno test

[@odysseus1604]

what is the thing he uses to spin it

[@RAGEMODDZz]

It would be 33333 RPM not 99999 RPM. Reason being the laser is picking up the 3 empty spots as 1 spot going ground. So your Final Speed would be divided by your 3 spaces equalling 33333 RPM

[@maxwellbrand]

nope...he's commented a bunch of times that it is counting every three passes as one rotation.

[@kimmern999]

I wonder for how long the spinner will spin after it has gained a momentum of 8000 RPM +

[@Graeme_Lastname]

Why not just direct the laser through the outer holes and divide by three?

[@pjaustin3905]

Does this speed account for the spinner hitting the sensor three times before a full rotation?

[@iBuyNewStuff]

sure does!

[@carmandarmans]

why is a fidget spinner on the loading circle animation?

[@noahtanzell4543]

the only problem is that at those speed the fidget's ball bearings and plastic would melt from the friction

[@jeremiahownby5176]

can I use a photo cell instead

[@trosebud223]

divide by three cuz i think the program may think it only has one prong?

[@iBuyNewStuff]

program is right :)

[@shmadenshmuki9843]

and this... is going... even further... beyond!