I'm looking for the name of a seller or sellers of inexpensive
electronic components for real-time short-range distance measurement
based on laser or RF technology. If it does not likely exist, it
would be acceptable to say that it doesn't exist, if along with it,
you give some examples of components that are close, but don't meet
all of the requirements (such as range or real-time capability).
laser or RF technology = cannot be acoustically-based or IR-based
component = 3"x3"x4" or smaller device that can be integrated onto a PCB
inexpensive = less than ~$100 per component
short-range = can sense 3 to 36 inches with an accuracy of ~1/4 inch
real-time = updates 10 times per second or better
This does not need to be a complete device with a display, just an
electronic component that gives a signal that represents relative
distance. Absolute distance is not important. The output can be
digital or analog.
The broader effort is to remotely detect the gross planarity of flat
surfaces using more than one of these measuring components together.
Because there is not a permanent target, the measuring component
cannot require a reflector (as some lasers do). The target is an
opaque painted surface (it reflects a laser spot well). Ultra-wide
band radio technology would be fine. The device does not need to have
it's own power supply. For a sample of some complete devices that do
the task, look at the ridiculously overpriced industrial "laser
displacement sensors" from Keyence at
http://www.keyence.com/products/vision/laser/laser.php |
