Week 3:

We tried and tested to use the TeraRanger. The reason that we are using the TeraRanger is that the TeraRanger sensors use infrared light for their active signal emission which travels at 300 000 000 m/s and is much faster than the sound waves of ultrasonic sensors (≈ 340 m/s). This allows the sensor systems to work with reading frequencies of up to 1000 readings per second. Ultrasonic sensors are physically bound to refresh rates of about 10 Hz, and laser systems for robotics usually operate at around 100 Hz in non eye-safety conditions and around 40 Hz, in areas where eye-safety is required. They are therefore inadequate for high performance robotics or multi-sensor environments. Where sensors are triggered sequentially to avoid crosstalk. Also, TeraRanger sensors have a very high detection sensitivity that allows them to reach long range targets of up to 14 meters indoors and at least 6 meters outdoors, just using low-power infrared light from LEDs. Previously, such distances were only possible with high-powered and non eye-safe laser beams. These two are the qualities in the distance sensor that we are looking out for. It fulfill both fast as well as high detection range.

However, the difficulty is to integrate the TeraRanger with the arduino.

Above are the waveforms that is being produced in the oscilloscope and the numbers being produced in the serial monitor. By using the data/output, we need to turn it into readable data for the arudino to use.

Below is the setup we use to test the TeraRanger with the arduino.

We continued to build the parachute release mechanism using the electromagnets. We made larger electromagnets using larger screws. The larger screws have stronger magnetic force than the smaller screws.