How can I trip motion detector lights continuously?

• ScienceProjectFilter: Can anybody help me devise some sort of a MacGyver-y whatchamahoosis to fool the motion dectector lights in my office into staying on? Here's the problem: My office is badly designed. I get no natural light, and the lights to my office are set on a motion dector switch that cannot be disabled and turns off rather quickly. The problem is that 1) I keep pretty still when I'm in my office, and 2) the motion detector itself is placed in an awful spot, where my motions at my desk (even frantic motions, like insane hand waving or jumping jacks), are NOT detected. I'm finding myself in the dark quite often, which is more distracting than I ever could have imagined. So, since the detector isn't noticing my motions, I'd like to rig some sort of device up in front of the dectector that would move about enough to keep the lights on while I'm in the office. Basically, the dectector is in a corner of the office, about 2 feet below a large shelf, and 18 inches away from a gigantic file cabinet. The shelf and the cabinet block most of the sensor's ability to detect motion, and neither the shelf or the cabinet can be moved or removed. There might be enough room for a small table in front of the detector to place the thing I we invent, but it's really rather high off the ground, so that's not ideal; and I think the file cabinet is too close to the detector for anything resting on top of the cabinet to be detected. What I'm thinking of is putting together (ideally from materials I already have in the office, but I'm open to other ideas, or towards supplemental items if these won't work) is something that would dangle down from the shelf, in front of the detector and would swing or sway for a long time. But I'm no MacGyver, so I could use some design ideas. Here's an idea of what I have handy to use: a long length of string;a nut; a washer; several small screws; a box of paperclips; a box of pushpins; lots of pencils; a 4-in. toy plastic dinosaur; scotch tape; 4 metal mounting brackets; paper. reams of paper; and, http://therestlessmouse.zoovy.com/product/615 (don't ask) I've tried swinging the dinosaur on the string, dangling from the shelf, but that's just heavy enough that it stops swinging quickly and doesn't give me much more time in the light. I then realized that since the detector is in a corner, there's not enough room for any sort of pendulum design to sustain a particularly wide arc. And then I was out of ideas. So, how about it? Any ideas of what I could build to keep my lights on while I'm in my office? Or, failing that, any ideas of other ways that I could trick my motion detection lights? Any suggestions, brainstormed ideas, or off-the-wall strategies will be appreciated. Show me the light, Metafilter! Please, show me the light!

• Answer:

  Here's the problem: My office is badly designed. I get no natural light, and the lights to my office are set on a motion dector switch that cannot be disabled and turns off rather quickly. The problem is that 1) I keep pretty still when I'm in my office, and 2) the motion detector itself is placed in an awful spot, where my motions at my desk (even frantic motions, like insane hand waving or jumping jacks), are NOT detected. I'm finding myself in the dark quite often, which is more distracting than I ever could have imagined. So, since the detector isn't noticing my motions, I'd like to rig some sort of device up in front of the dectector that would move about enough to keep the lights on while I'm in the office. Basically, the dectector is in a corner of the office, about 2 feet below a large shelf, and 18 inches away from a gigantic file cabinet. The shelf and the cabinet block most of the sensor's ability to detect motion, and neither the shelf or the cabinet can be moved or removed. There might be enough room for a small table in front of the detector to place the thing I we invent, but it's really rather high off the ground, so that's not ideal; and I think the file cabinet is too close to the detector for anything resting on top of the cabinet to be detected. What I'm thinking of is putting together (ideally from materials I already have in the office, but I'm open to other ideas, or towards supplemental items if these won't work) is something that would dangle down from the shelf, in front of the detector and would swing or sway for a long time. But I'm no MacGyver, so I could use some design ideas. Here's an idea of what I have handy to use: a long length of string;a nut; a washer; several small screws; a box of paperclips; a box of pushpins; lots of pencils; a 4-in. toy plastic dinosaur; scotch tape; 4 metal mounting brackets; paper. reams of paper; and, http://therestlessmouse.zoovy.com/product/615 (don't ask) I've tried swinging the dinosaur on the string, dangling from the shelf, but that's just heavy enough that it stops swinging quickly and doesn't give me much more time in the light. I then realized that since the detector is in a corner, there's not enough room for any sort of pendulum design to sustain a particularly wide arc. And then I was out of ideas. So, how about it? Any ideas of what I could build to keep my lights on while I'm in my office? Or, failing that, any ideas of other ways that I could trick my motion detection lights? Any suggestions, brainstormed ideas, or off-the-wall strategies will be appreciated. Show me the light, Metafilter! Please, show me the light!