Body Charge Detector

It is well known that through such simple everyday activities as walking on a carpet or moving in a chair, the body accumulates a static charge – sometimes many thousands of volts. Due to its extreme sensitivity, this circuit will detect not only such charges but also EMF-induced voltages in the body, which are generally far smaller. This means that, whether you happen to be “charged up” on any particular day or not, your body will almost certainly trigger this circuit. An interesting twist is that the sensor does not need to be made of metal. Provided it is isolated from ground, the sensor can be any conductor, including a plant in a pot. The circuit is a comparator based on an LF351 FET-input op amp (IC1). The has the benefit of a high impedance input which is crucial for detecting a static charge. The other aspect which is crucial is that the 0V side of the circuit must be connected to earth (eg, a metal stake driven into the ground). Without the grounded connection, the circuit will yield poor results.