Electrical – Measuring the angle to an object using IR sensors

infraredposition;sensor

I would like to be able to use IR emitter/receivers to measure the ANGLE to an object. As far as I am aware this is how the Sharp IR distance sensors work, by using triangulation to measure the angle of a reflected IR light source to work out the distance to the object.

I just need to work out the angle an object is from the emitter/receiver pair and by using more than one pair I could then work out (using triangulation) the distance to the object as well its position in 2D space.

However, researching this has proved fruitless so far. I believe the receiving end of a Sharp distance sensor is a pin photodiode (correct me if I am wrong?). If it is not a pin photodiode then what is it? What measures the angle of the IR beam?

If anyone could help with this it would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Mike

Best Answer

Distance sensors actually measure the angle, then calculate the distance using triangulation, which provides a relationship between angle and distance: enter image description here

Obviously, you can progressively rotate this assembly to known angles and stop when you measure the expected distance. Then you know you're facing your object.

An alternative approach would be to install the light source on the object in question. Then you would measure the angle to it directly without the need to rotate anything, and you don't need to know the distance to your object beforehand.

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