Hard⏱ time3 hr$ cost22
Ultrasonic Radar
A sweeping sensor maps nearby objects on a screen like a sonar display.
Start building ↓
Result first
The build
Step 01
Mount on servo
Fix the ultrasonic sensor on a sweeping servo.
Step 02
Sweep & ping
Code the servo to sweep while reading distance.
Step 03
Send data
Stream angle and distance to a computer.
Step 04
Display radar
Plot the points as a live radar arc.
Working Principle
As the servo sweeps, the sensor measures distance at each angle; pairing angle with distance maps where objects sit around the robot.
The science behind it
A closer look
It's polar mapping: combining a rotating sensor with echo timing recreates how real radar and sonar build a picture.
Take it further
Variables to test
- 1 Widen the sweep — trade-off with speed?
- 2 Detect a moving object across the sweep.
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