One popular choice is the Sharp series of IR sensors. Here is an image of one of the models, Sharp 2Y0A02, which is a unit that provides sensing to a distance of 150 cm:
To connect this unit, you'll need to connect the three pins that are available on the bottom of the sensor. Here is the connection list:
|
Arduino pin |
Sensor pin |
|---|---|
|
5V |
Vcc |
|
GND |
GND |
|
A3 |
Vo |
Unfortunately, there are no labels on the unit, but there is a data sheet that you can download from www.phidgets.com/documentation/Phidgets/3522_0_Datasheet.pdf. The following image shows the pins you'll need to connect:
One of the challenges of making this connection is that the female-to-male connection jumpers are too big to connect directly to the sensor. You'll want to order the three-wire cable with connectors with the sensor, and then you can make the connections between this cable and your Arduino device using the male-to-male jumper wires. Once the pins are connected, you are ready to access the...