I've been researching around into a sensor that can measure distance to a SPECIFIC point. For example a beacon. I want to build a robot that locks on to this device and measures the distance to that point, and move in the in the Y and X direction towards it. Could anyone tell me if there are any sensors like this ? I know there are IR Transceivers, but im not sure whether they give you a distance to the beacon, and i know that they do not work as well outdoors when the sun is shining. If i could just get some ideas it would be really helpful. Any idea is welcomed, but i do need the range of this sensor to be at least 10 feet. The more range the better. Thanks in advance.
You could use ultrasonic sensors. On the beacon you'd have a sketch that just listens for an ultrasonic pulse and then immediately sends a pulse back. The robot would send a pulse then wait for the "echo" the time between would give you your distance.
Hey. As far as im aware, an Ultrasonic Sensor doesnt distinguish between a beacon or a car or a rock. It just gives you a distance. Im looking for something that when my robot approaches it, a sensor on the robot detects it and gives me the distance to that object (i.e the beacon). I may be the wrong the Ultrasonic Sensor but this is what i have read thusfar about them.
I think i see what you mean. So the beacon will transmit a wave which the Ultrasonic Sensor will detect, and therefore we can obtain a distance. That's a really neat idea. I'll look more into it. If you have any other suggestions please let me know. Or if im incorrect in my theory of what you're saying please let me know too
Here's another way that could be simpler if you're just interested in distance. The beacon would send a radio frequency pulse at the same time as an ultrasonic pulse. Now since Radio waves travel at (very nearly) the speed of light and the ultrasonic signal only travels at the speed of sound, these two signals will arrive at the robot at separate times.
The robot simply has to listen for both the radio frequency pulse AND the ultrasonic pulse. The time difference between them can be used to calculate the distance.
Ooo. That's another great idea. Simplifies things a little but it adds another component to the system, correct? This really doesnt make a difference to me. I just need a distance to the target. Now another question which comes up now is ... can i program the one ultrasonic sensor to specifically listen to that one signal ? If i have other ultrasonic sensors, will they hear that signal ? I want to use ultrasonic sensors to avoid obstacles, but if they all hear this signal from my beacon, how will it know the difference between an object in front of it, or the beacon? Can i use some kind of filter in my programming ? Is this possible ?
