Answers.Body: <p>It is not possible to increase the sensitivity of the touch sensor in-programming. Generally, you can use a <a href="https://www.teachengineering.org/lessons/view/cub_simp_machines_lesson03" rel="noreferrer">lever to decrease the amount of force required</a>.<br>
   <a href="https://i.sstatic.net/nBJo1.png" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/nBJo1.png" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>
  
  <p>Here the "load" is the touch sensor button, the "effort" is the ball hitting the lever, and the beam is a lego beam.  </p>
  
  <p>If the ball you're using is too light, you still probably won't be able to depress the touch sensor, regardless of how long the lever is. You can experiment with a heavier ball and a lever arm to try to get it working.  </p>
  
  <p>If you can't get a mechanical solution working, or if it is required that the ball is only detected when it hits a small target, a light/color sensor might be the next thing to try.  </p>
  
  <p>Side note, I think it's really great you're helping your son with his project. Feel free to post back here if you have more questions!</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2019-11-23T22:37:04.833Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2019-11-23T22:37:04.833Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: MindS1
Body: <p>My son is making a LEGO pinball machine and is wondering if it is possible to increase the sensitivity of an Ev3 Touch Sensor as when a ball hits it?  Or does he need to use Color Sensors?</p>
  
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2019-11-20T09:27:24.823Z
Comments.Text: When you say "increase the sensitivity of an EV3 touch sensor" do you mean that it is not activated as it is, since the ball is too light and / or too slow to push the sensor button? If yes, then maybe the design of the pressure plate could be updated to utilize more leverage, but we could only know that if you could post a picture of the current setup.
Comments.UserDisplayName: zovits
Tags: <ev3><sensor-colour><sensor>
Title: Can you change the sensitivity of an EV3 Touch Sensor?
UserDisplayName: Legomom
ThreadText: # Can you change the sensitivity of an EV3 Touch Sensor?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2019-11-19)
  
  My son is making a LEGO pinball machine and is wondering if it is possible to increase the sensitivity of an Ev3 Touch Sensor as when a ball hits it? Or does he need to use Color Sensors?
  
  **Tags:** ev3, sensor-colour, sensor
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_1**: When you say "increase the sensitivity of an EV3 touch sensor" do you mean that it is not activated as it is, since the ball is too light and / or too slow to push the sensor button? If yes, then maybe the design of the pressure plate could be updated to utilize more leverage, but we could only know that if you could post a picture of the current setup.  
  
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  ## 1 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_2 on 2019-11-23. Score: 5
  
  It is not possible to increase the sensitivity of the touch sensor in-programming. Generally, you can use a [lever to decrease the amount of force required](https://www.teachengineering.org/lessons/view/cub_simp_machines_lesson03).  
  [![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/nBJo1.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/nBJo1.png)
  
  Here the "load" is the touch sensor button, the "effort" is the ball hitting the lever, and the beam is a lego beam.
  
  If the ball you're using is too light, you still probably won't be able to depress the touch sensor, regardless of how long the lever is. You can experiment with a heavier ball and a lever arm to try to get it working.
  
  If you can't get a mechanical solution working, or if it is required that the ball is only detected when it hits a small target, a light/color sensor might be the next thing to try.
  
  Side note, I think it's really great you're helping your son with his project. Feel free to post back here if you have more questions!
  
  
  ---
  
  