This is provided to serve as an easy to use set-up guide for the HRLV‑MaxSonar‑EZ family of ultrasonic sensors, awarded one of the Top 10 Sensor Products of 2012 from Sensors & Transducers Magazine. This ultrasonic sensor uses sound to measure the distance to nearby objects, and then reports the information through one of the three sensor outputs. …
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Key Takeaways The sensor selected must fit your environment Setting up your sensor Understanding how sound waves affect the beam pattern of a sensor Implementing Multiple Sensors Most effective way to troubleshoot your sensor with MaxBotix Technical Support Full Article Links 105-Protected vs. Non-Protected Environments 016-LV-MaxSonar-EZ Quick Start Guide 109-An Introduction to the 42kHz Sound…
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Key Takeaways FAQs by Tech Support Tips for sensor selection Troubleshooting tips Technical support services help solve sensor problems, wiring, and mounting as well as application-based sensor selection. Technical support for MaxBotix Inc., may be delivered over the phone (218-454-0766 ext 2), by e-mail ([email protected]), or by the contact tab on the MaxBotix Inc., webpage…
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Key Takeaways MaxBotix® Inc., currently uses 42kHz sound waves in all of its ultrasonic sensors Ultrasonic sensors will detect objects regardless of their visual characteristics A 42kHz sound wave will not range through solid objects The 42kHz Sound Wave MaxBotix® Inc., sensors provide sensing solutions for a wide variety of applications. Our Sensor Selection Guide…
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Key Takeaway How to distinguish between a protected and non-protected environment. Protected vs. Non-Protected Environments When choosing an ultrasonic sensor it is very important to be aware of the surrounding environment. This is a key factor and the first consideration when selecting a sensor. This requires looking at the environment that your sensor will be…
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Troubleshooting the MaxSonar Sensor Family Our sensors are improved to not allow unstable readings. Occasionally unstable range readings occur. Within this tutorial, we will explain how to identify, troubleshoot, and eliminate the cause of unstable range readings. This will work for all sensor lines. Start troubleshooting with a single sensor and this simple test. This
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When using a single ultrasonic sensor, typically it is possible to just let it range continuously in free run mode. This method is easy and works well. Please consult your sensor datasheet or Finding Distance Using Analog Voltage for calculation formulas for analog voltage to distance. This guide covers: ‑Free Run Operation ‑Simultaneous Operation ‑Commanded…
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Reading MaxSonar Beam Patterns MaxBotix Inc. provides beam patterns for all of our ultrasonic sensors to assist users in choosing the correct sensor for their application, target size, and distance. Each beam pattern diagram is a 2D representation of the detection area of the sensor. In reality, the actual beam pattern is shaped like a…
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Key Takeaways Maxbotix Inc., offers a variety of housing types for many of our popular sensors The WR full horn housings generally provides the best performance Compact WR housings provide wider beam patterns with weaker detections Over the past 10 years, MaxBotix expanded the number of packaging options available for each many of our sensors…
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Key Takeaways Analog voltage provides range information on a linear voltage scale Pulse width outputs a digital representation of range using a pulse which directly corresponds with the range Serial data output of our sensors delivers asynchronous data at TTL voltage levels The analog envelope output is a minimally filtered output of the acoustic waveform…
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Key Takeaways Know the effects of saltwater on electronics See how saltwater damages electronics Learn how to clean off saltwater residue Pure distilled water does not conduct electricity and will not damage most electrical equipment that is clean and free of debris. Tap water is not pure water because it mixes with polarized minerals as…
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Key Takeaways List of Materials to properly splice wires List of Materials to properly create a weatherproof wire splice Techniques to properly splice wires Techniques to properly create a weatherproof wire splice List of Materials Needed For Splicing Wire To Weatherproof a Wire Splice Goggles Hands-free clamp Wire stripper Soldering iron with stand Lead free…
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Key Takeaways List of Materials to properly solder and desolder a MaxBotix Inc., sensor Techniques to properly through-hole solder a MaxBotix Inc., sensor Techniques to properly desolder a MaxBotix Inc., sensor Materials Needed for Soldering Materials Needed for Desoldering: Goggles, Hands-free clamp, Wire stripper, Soldering iron with stand Soldering iron tip, Lead-free solder ~.031…
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Key Takeaways Averaging range data can be used to smooth out unstable readings The mean, median, and mode are the three most common averages MaxBotix Inc., recommends the use of a median or mode for averaging range data Finding an average or standard data value can be a useful way to understand the underlying trends…
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Key Takeaways MaxBotix® Inc., limits its maximum detection range to 10 meters (32.8 feet) MaxSonar® sensors offer reliable people detection out to ~5.4 meters (~18 feet) Targets must be perpendicular or able to reflect sound back to the sensor for long-range detection MaxBotix® Inc., presses the limits by pursuing new technologies Ten Meter Ranging…
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Weatherproof the Pin Out of Your MaxSonar® with a Sensor Wire Attach Option Key Takeaways MaxBotix® Inc., offers a wire attach option for users who need a sealed pin out Wire attach options free you from soldering directly to the sensor Shielded cable greatly reduces the risk of EMI in your application A Fully Sealed…
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Corner Reflectors Can Cause Surprise Clutter Illustration 1: Two common shapes of corner reflectors. Sometimes when using an ultrasonic sensor, users experience detection of unwanted objects that appear outside the expected beam pattern. These types of detections are the result of reflectors present in the environment. Corner reflectors can be surprisingly small, yet present a large…
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A number of customers have asked if the Arduino supports talking to the I2C‑MaxSonar sensors over an I2C interface. The short answer is “Yes.” The more technical answer is – be prepared to install a new library and learn a bit about digital electronics. Never fear! I have worked to provide a clear and easy to…
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Triggering and Free Running All the MaxSonar sensors, by default, will operate in a free run mode. What this means is the sensor will continue to range until power is removed from the sensor. This is generally the easiest way to operate in a single sensor setup. If you are operating multiple sensors please visit…
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A MaxBotix ultrasonic sensor installed in a robot using the Robot Operating System (ROS) provides the valuable data needed to solve the complex obstacle avoidance and navigation problems on your autonomous robots. The Robot Operating System is a powerful resource that enables collaborative development of truly complex robot software. ROS is designed to be run on any Ubuntu device from a Raspberry Pi to a dedicated PC, learn more about how to connect a Raspberry Pi with a USB ultrasonic sensor…
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Key Takeaways Capture the analog envelope Use a picoscope, Screenshot the analog envelope, The analog envelope output is the log-compressed voltage output of the acoustic return signal, which provides users with the ability to see the internal workings of the sensor. This output allows users the ability to easily verify the overall operation…
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Key Takeaways Oscilloscopes display the properties of electrical signals as they change over time Most oscilloscopes offer a number of tools or options to measure electrical signals Proper triggering helps to fix the waveform in one spot on the display An oscilloscope displays electrical signals as they change over time. Understanding the operation of an…
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Key Takeaways A faulty power supply can lead to improper sensor operation Issues with a power supply will manifest throughout the entire circuit The power supply should be tested early in the troubleshooting process Required Equipment Properly calibrated voltmeters and current meters (resolution should be 10 times the parameter being measured) Oscilloscope with bandwidth up…
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Using a MaxSonar® with an ioBridge® Wireless Endpoint Pro Using a MaxSonar with ioBridge products have proven to be effective methods of monitoring distance over the internet in real-time from anywhere in the world. This solution quickly connects you to the real-world information you want from a variety of devices. Using this system, users were…
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Remote monitoring for the MaxSonar is easily available with the help of a bridge device such as the ioBridge IO-204. It has become simpler to integrate a MaxSonar into applications like measuring tide level or fuel level. The ioBridge IO‑204 module allows for remote sensing over the internet. All that is needed is a MaxSonar…
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1) Code example for BasicX, BX24p.Link 2) Code example for the Basic Micro, Atom.Link 3) Code example using Wright Hobbies, DevBoard-M32 (AVR using Bascom). Link 4) Code example using Parallax, Basic Stamp BS2, BasicStamp. Link 5) C Program Driver for MaxBotix MB7066. Link 6) Arduino I2C code Examples for I2CXL-MaxSonar sensors. Link Code Example for BasicX, BX24p…
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Triangulation Finds the Direction and Distance to a Pole Using the HRLV-MaxSonar-EZ1 (MB1013). Download this Ultrasonic Pole/Tower Sensing & Detection Application Note! This PDF will show you how to use one sensor for pole detection and distance sensing. Or with two sensors, you can determine the distance, direction, and alignment to the pole…
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We are hand-picking the best Arduino Projects to power up your skills. We are working on a brilliant selection of inspirational ideas to help you build extraordinary projects without the need for expensive add-ons or hard-to-find-parts. Learn, master & create fun Arduino projects. Our fun projects are going to be great for beginners, advanced users, hobbyists, students, and teachers…
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Brief Synopsis: This tutorial demonstrates how to set up an I2C circuit using a Raspberry Pi product such as the classic Raspberry Pi, Raspberry Pi Zero, Raspberry Pi 2, or Raspberry Pi 3 and an I2C Sensor MaxSonar. The article was written and tested on an R Pi with the September 2016 version of the Raspbian Jessie with PIXEL OS. For more information regarding the Raspbian Jessie with PIXEL OS, check out What is Pixel for Rasbian Jessie…
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We’ve put together some of the best and worthwhile Raspberry Pi Projects to make your time fun and educational. Explore below easy, simple fascinating Raspberry Pi Projects to get started with, along with some complex projects for advanced users. At this point, the Raspberry Pi is a modern legend. These series of tiny, low-powered computers provides an inexpensive and relatively easy base for electronics projects…
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The Raspberry Pi family of products opens the world of coding up to all ages with their easy interface and budget-friendly pricing. The Raspberry Pi is a single-board computer small enough to fit in your wallet, and the Raspberry Pi Zero is even smaller…
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Cool Raspberry Pi Projects – Interfacing a Raspberry Pi with an ultrasonic sensor to read serial data Do you enjoy or love testing new Raspberry Pi Projects? Maxbotix has put together a tutorial that teaches you how to interface a Raspberry Pi with an ultrasonic sensor to read TTL serial data. You may also want…
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Key Takeaways Pull-up resistor values for an I2C circuit are bus speed dependent MaxBotix Inc., sensors require clock stretching for bus speeds above 50kHz Sensor addresses must be properly set and polled for proper operation What is I2C? Integrating a number of devices together into one circuit and individually commanding each device allows you to …
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A number of customers have asked if the Arduino supports talking to the I2C‑MaxSonar sensors over an I2C interface. The short answer is “Yes.” The more technical answer is – be prepared to install a new library and learn a bit about digital electronics. Never fear! I have worked to provide a clear and easy to …
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Arduino ultrasonic sensors are very popular for integrating when designing solutions for many applications in robotics and automation. The MaxBotix ultrasonic sensors that interface with the Arduino platform make it easy for users to implement the needed ranging capabilities no matter the need. There are ultrasonic sensors for Arduino with RS232, analog voltage, pulse width or I2C sensor outputs. Take a look at this complete guide to Arduino Boards to better assist you which Arduino board best suits your needs. …
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Using a MaxSonar® with an ioBridge®Wireless Endpoint Pro Using a MaxSonar with ioBridge products have proven to be effective methods of monitoring distance over the internet in real-time from anywhere in the world. This solution quickly connects you to the real-world information you want from a variety of devices. Using this system, users were able …
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Remote monitoring for the MaxSonar is easily available with the help of a bridge device such as the ioBridge IO-204. It has become simpler to integrate a MaxSonar into applications like measuring tide level or fuel level. The ioBridge IO‑204 module allows for remote sensing over the internet. All that is needed is a MaxSonar …
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MaxBotix’s USB ultrasonic distance sensors are low-cost ultrasonic proximity sensors featuring an easy-to-use USB interface that connects directly to a computer with a standard Micro-B USB cable. The interface was designed to be very easy and intuitive to use. These USB ultrasonic distance sensors provide a component module solution that offers easy integration with USB connectivity, ready-to-use, low power demands, no sensor dead zone, calibrated beam patterns, stable range readings, and a host of other features. …
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“What goes up, must come down.” One of the biggest considerations for how much time a UAV spends in the air is weight. This means that every ounce affects the UAV. We design our UAV ultrasonic sensors to be high performance, small, compact, low-cost, easy-to-use and lightweight. Our recommended ultrasonic sensors for UAVs weigh approximately 5.8 grams…
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MaxBotix ultrasonic sensors solve the common problem of people detection. Our ultrasonic sensors offer the ability to detect people over a wide range of distances with a high read rate and excellent reading to reading stability. Ultrasonic sensors support a wide range of needs from kiosk based applications to occupancy detection and even to autonomous navigation…
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A robot without an ultrasonic sensor is blind. Ultrasonic sensors allow our robots to react to the world around them like we do with our eyes and ears. There are many types of ultrasonic sensors, and they provide your robot with new or improved senses. At MaxBotix Inc., we know how to best leverage ultrasonic sensors for their performance. …
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Key Takeaways MaxBotix Inc., will not warranty sensors used for underwater ranging Underwater ranging is possible, but may be a difficult task Underwater ranging requires adjusting for acoustic differences between air and water MaxBotix Inc., produces high performance, ultrasonic precision in-air rangefinders. Our rangefinders provide high accuracy and resolution for in-air target detection. We focus …
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Important Considerations for Using an Ultrasonic Sensor Inside of a Pipe Key Takeaways Successful operation of an ultrasonic sensor inside a pipe has strict pipe requirements Ultrasonic sensor performance is limited by the principles of physics It is possible to get accurate results in a pipe, however, many factors must be accounted for to achieve …
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People Detection Ultrasonic Sensors & Kiosk Sensors Key Takeaways People are traditionally a challenging target for ultrasonic sensor MaxBotix® Inc., offers ultrasonic proximity sensors that reliably detect people Proximity information is minimally affected by sensor cross-talk People Detection Many ultrasonic sensor applications require the user to detect people in an environment. MaxBotix® Inc. provides ultrasonic …
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This article provides instruction on the easy setup for the MaxBotix® Inc., USB-MaxSonar® ultrasonic sensor lines. This instructional set will help you set up the USB-MaxSonar® ultrasonic sensors with your computer system. Windows Download Linux Download Apple Download Please use your prefered operating system instruction set: Windows Linux Apple OS Serial Port Configuration Settings Com …
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Using the MaxSonar® TX Output Connecting The MaxSonar to a Computer The MaxSonar® can be directly interfaced to be used with your PC, if you have a PC with a DB9 Serial connection or a USB to DB9 converter. The DB9 connection is capable of being connected to the TX pin output on the MaxSonar® …
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Finding Distance Using Pulse Width Calculating Distance from Pin 2 All of the MaxSonar sensors have an output waveform that is a pictorial representation of distance measured. For the majority of our sensors that waveform output is a pulse width. The Pulse Width output is 0-Vcc that shows the Time of Flight in microseconds (uS). …
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Finding Distance Using Analog Voltage How to Calculate Distance from the Pin 3 The Analog Voltage pin on the MaxSonar family of sensors has been the most popular output for our users. All of the MaxSonar sensors have this output included. This guide will give a look into how to use it for obtaining the …
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MaxBotix Inc., sensors have been successfully used on a number of multi‑copters. Multi‑copters are also called UAVs, rotorcraft, quadrotor helicopters, or quadcopters. Many users have had issues getting the sensors to operate reliably. Sensor operation during flight on a quad‑copter is a challenging environment for an ultrasonic sensor to operate reliably. The most obvious issue …
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