Modeling an object with internal IMUs

[Joseph Malloch] sent in a really cool video of him modeling a piece of foam twisting and turning in 3D space.

To translate the twists, bends, and turns of his piece of foam, [Joseph] used several inertial measurement units (IMUs) to track the shape of a deformable object. These IMUs consist of a 3-axis accelerometer, 3-axis gyroscope, and a 3-axis … Read the rest

Parts: Analog distance sensors (Sharp GP2D12/2Y0A02)

Sharp GP2D12 and 2Y0A02 infrared rangers output a voltage proportionate to the distance of an object from the sensor.  The GPD12 senses objects at a distance of 10-80cm, while the 2Y0A02 has twice the range.

We’ve previously looked at the Sharp GP2Y0D02 digital proximity sensor. It only signals the presence of objects, while the GP2D12 and 2Y0A02 measure distance … Read the rest