PIR sensors automatically light up workbench zones

Jeremy Cook recently constructed a workbench out of wood and plastic supports, and after several iterations, he’s enhanced it with LEDs to selectively shine light where he’s working. Initially, this meant a simple strip of 12V non-addressable lighting that turned on and off. He then augmented it further using an Arduino Nano, with a pair of buttons for PWM brightness control and a PIR sensor to activate the lights when presence is detected.

Not one to leave well enough alone, afterwards he supplemented this fixed color lighting with a strip of addressable LEDs mounted to a length of tubing. The lights are programmed to stay white – though other colors would be possible – and a total of three PIR sensors are utilized to light sections of the LEDs when motion is detected.