Society of Robots - Robot Forum

Electronics => Electronics => Topic started by: dizzy on March 21, 2010, 08:21:34 PM

Title: Ultrasonic Sensors: advice needed on choosing
Post by: dizzy on March 21, 2010, 08:21:34 PM
Hi,
if money is not a major factor, which would be a good, reliable ultrasonic sensor?

Are there any disadvantages to sensors that require only a single pin, such as the PING sonar and Devantech SRF01?

Are there any advantages/disadvantages of sonars that are use an I2C connections, such as the SRF10 and SRF08?

Has anyone used the Devantech SRF235? it is advertised as the narrowest beam sonar.

What are your thoughts on the Maxbotix XL series of sonars vs the Devantech models?

thanks much for any advice..
Title: Re: Ultrasonic Sensors: advice needed on choosing
Post by: RobotBits on March 22, 2010, 05:30:51 PM
The choice between a single pin interface and I2C (or serial) interface is down to the controller you are using and the type of input/output ports and pins you have.

If you have an easy to use I2C port - devices such as the SRF10 will give you more control over range and analogue gain settings etc. The distance is simply read out of a register over the I2C interface.

The Robot Electronics site has loads of examples for different controllers at:
    http://www.robot-electronics.co.uk/acatalog/examples.html (http://www.robot-electronics.co.uk/acatalog/examples.html)

If you don't have a serial/I2C port you can still get good results with a 1 or 2 pin interface but you'll need to write some controller code that can measure the length of the echo pulse and calculate the result.

I don't have any direct experience with the Maxbotix XL so can comment.
Title: Re: Ultrasonic Sensors: advice needed on choosing
Post by: dizzy on March 22, 2010, 06:32:52 PM
I have a Serializer 3.0 board. it supports I2C devices, but i have read some other posts where some say the prefer a 'direct' connection.  I don't know exactly why.
i've decided to start with the Parallax Ping sonar and have also ordered a Maxsonar XL EZ4