Hey hackers!
So we got a bit more time to work on this project and we have some pretty exciting updates to give you! Our objectives this time around were to improve our SF02 laser module's sample rate, make an initial attempt at mapping part of an interior area, and see how small an object we could detect in a relatively quick scan.
This is of course being done once again through the Arduino Uno, where we collected and stored our data in a packed format, which was then dumped to a PC for use in creating graphs. We plan to tackle data analysis and such things within the Arduino in the near future.
OK, so onto our results! Firstly, with regards to sample rate, we hacked around with the SF02 and eventually after modifying some code, were able to achieve a sample rate of 50Hz at a maximum range of 15m, up from the previous rate of 12Hz!
We then took a simple 90 degree scan of a room over ~5 seconds, giving us around 270 points. This can be seen in the image below. There are various walls, and a passage in the top left.
Our next scan was of the same room, also at 90 degrees, but done over ~1 second and with an obstacle. The results can be seen in the image below. As you can see we were able to pick up a 2cm wide object at 3.10m away (visible as the highlighted point below).