User Manual

Ultrasonic Rangefinders Feature Custom Beam Width
Users of ultrasonic rangefinders have found that the beam widths of low cost ultrasonic
sensors do not always match their application. Wider beam width (and more sensitivity) is better
suited for obstacle detection, people detection, collision avoidance, detecting small objects, and
more robust detection in the central beam area. Narrower beam width (and less sensitivity) is
useful for clutter rejection, high acoustic noise environments, directional ranging, room mapping,
or using an ultrasonic sensor to locate an opening such as a door. Some users require very long long detection and
ranging, while others only care about performance only out to one meter. In addition, users of ultrasonic sensors,
even sensors that have a narrow beam width, still desire detection of small objects within the central beam, stable
range measurements (even when ranging moving objects), small size, low power, and the sensor must be easy to
use. Both narrow or wide beam sensors can be useful for all of the mentioned uses but in general a specific beam
width will perform better, than another, for a given user application.
The beam width of the LV-MaxSonar

sensor
line up is factory calibrated and precisely controlled.
This allows the precision beam angles that users of the
EZ1

have come to depend on. The beam width of the
LV-MaxSonar

-EZ1

balances robust people detection
ability with a narrow beam width. This compromise
does not fit all users as some users have reported that,
for their application, they desire either a wider or
narrower beam. To address this, MaxBotix

Inc., has
added four additional ultrasonic rangefinders to the LV-
MaxSonar

sensor lineup, each calibrated to a specific
beam width. This allows users to select the sensor that
provides the beam width of choice. Beam plots or each
sensor type are shown in Figure 1 on a one-foot grid
background. Detection distance for 5V operation is
shown in black lines, and distance for 3.3V operation is
shown with red dots. The sensor beam width is widest
for the EZ0

where it is well suited to users desiring a
high sensitivity or a wide beam width. Each sensor, the EZ1

, EZ2

, EZ3

and EZ4

is progressively narrower.
For example, the EZ4

provides users with a narrow beam width for much better clutter or acoustic noise
rejection.
The LV-MaxSonar ultrasonic rangefinders operate over the voltage range of 2.5V to 5.5V (2mA typical),
provide three simultaneous user outputs (analog voltage, pulse width, and serial), fill a volume less than one cubic
inch, and weigh only 4.3 grams. Sells for $29.95. RoHS compliant. For more information please visit the
MaxBotix

Inc., web site www.maxbotix.com, or email [e-mail].
MaxBotix

Inc., would like to also introduce the
MaxSonar

-UT, the ultrasonic transducer used in the the
MaxSonar

product line. The sensor beam pattern is shown
in Figure 2. The MaxSonar

-UT sells for $5.95. RoHS
compliant. For more information please visit the MaxBotix

Inc., web site www.maxbotix.com, or email
[e-mail].
MaxBotix
®
Inc. 8757 East Chimney Spring Drive, Tucson AZ 85747 USA
Press Release Date: July 17, 2007 4613 County Road 8, Brainerd MN 56401 USA
MaxSonar, MaxBotix, EZ0, EZ1, EZ2, EZ3 and Email: [e-mail] Web: www.maxbotix.com
EZ4 are trademarks of MaxBotix
®
Inc. Phone: [phone] Fax: [phone]
Figure 1: Range shown on 1-foot grid to various diameter
dowels. (Beam plots are approximate.)
Figure 2
MaxBotix

Inc.
Press Release