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Ultrasonic Batgoggles

intro
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introUltrasonic Batgoggles

Wish you were bat? Want to Experience Echolocation? Want to try to "see" with your ears?

For my first Instructable, I will show you how to build your own ultrasonic batgoggles using an Arduino microcontroller clone, Devantech ultrasonic sensor and welding goggles for around $60 or less if you already have standard electronics components. You could also skip the electronics and make a simple bat-mask perfect to wear to the next Batman movie. In that case, the cost would only be about $15.

These goggles allow you to experience what it is like to use auditory cues like a bat and is intended for children in a science center setting to learn about echolocation. The goal was to keep costs as low as possible, avoid making the form of the interaction to be generic or unrelated to its educational purpose and to ensure that the physical form of device embodies the subject matter. For a more thorough discussion of its design, please see the project webpage.

To keeps costs and size low, an Arduino clone is built used however, but this project works just as well with pre-built Arduino microcontrollers.

These goggles were built for "Dynamic User-centered Research and Design" course in the Arts, Media & Engineering program at Arizona State University.


Ultrasonic Batgoggles

step 1Necessary Materials

-Arduino or comparable microcontroller* (if you have the money you can buy the Arduino mini/nano or use a boarduino, otherwise I will show you how to make a small and cheap…

step 2Design some ears

You are free to use your imagination to build your ears. No bat-goggles should be the same! I used plastic cones that are used for physical therapy, which we happened to …

step 3Cut ears

I trimmed the cut-off pieces of the cone with the Dremel, so that they were smaller and hot glued them to the inside of the larger cone pieces. They did not fit exactly bu…

step 4Prepare goggles

The goggles that I purchased were a very un-batlike shiny aqua color. To make the goggles more batty, take the lenses out (remove the nose piece first), sand them, and spr…

step 5Assemble electronics

These steps are optional if you use an already built Arduino microcontroller. However, since you are only using a small amount of its capabilities it makes more sense to m…

step 6Prepare buzzer and sensor wires

The ultrasonic sensor and buzzer need long wires to run from the goggles to the electronics. The ultrasonic sensor requires 4 wires(5v, ground, echo, trigger) and the buzz…

step 7Finish wires

Next solder male header pins to the other end of the wires. (These will connect to the microcontroller.)

step 8Upload Code

To upload the code, connect the 5v, ground, TX, RX pins on the PC board to those same pins on a chip removed Arduino board using some wires. Then connect the reset pin on …

step 9put electronics in an enclosure

Cut the convoluted tubing so it is the right length from the goggles to someones hand or pocket. Put the wires connecting to the ultrasonic sensor and piezo buzzer inside t…

step 10Connect wires

Now you can use the male header pins at the ends of your wires and connect to the appropriate pins on the PC board (use the schematic!). If you are using your own Arduino t…

step 11Close enclosure

This enclosure had screws to hold it shut but other enclosures (altoids tin?) could just snap shut. Since I wasn't sure if it was working, I used tape to keep it closed fo…

step 12Attach ears

To attach the ears we have to first put two vertical slots with the dremel in the ears for the strap to pass through.

step 13Attaching ears continued

After running the straps through the ears, I used Velcro to affix the ears to the goggles. This ended up being somewhat unstable, but highly adjustable to get them pointed …

step 14Experience Echolocation

Plug in a battery put the enclosure in your pocket and explore! The close you get to objects in your line of sight, the faster it beeps, the further you get, the slower it…

65 comments
1-50 of 65
Dec 29, 2008. 10:02 PMdanbarsays:
hey could u please tell me mail me the electric components cause I can't identify the number and models please my e mail is dm_9990@hotmail.com
Dec 29, 2008. 10:45 PMsunethsays:
which components are you having trouble finding?

Dec 29, 2008. 11:10 PMdanbarsays:
i dont know the name in english cause im mexican but mmm the black rectangle and the other thing with 3 legs that is also black but have some metal on top could u please tell me thei name in english and the number please
Dec 31, 2008. 7:45 AMsunethsays:
the black rectangle: http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=8846 ATmega168 with Arduino Bootloader

or you can use any of these arduino boardsany of these arduino boards

the one with three legs: 7805 voltage regulator

Dec 31, 2008. 5:02 PMdanbarsays:
thanks
Oct 18, 2008. 8:56 PMcodz30says:
should make a distance output, firgure out when signals are sent, speed = distance/time, then output distance :)
Jul 6, 2008. 4:40 PMastro boysays:
convert the beeps into an lcd screen or a set of LEDs and have 1=4m 2=3.5m 3=3m 4=2.5m 5=2m and so on and make it beep fast if your 5-10cm away from something that would make it more awesome and easer to understand
Jun 24, 2008. 8:40 PMpkrauttersays:
intierstesting
Jun 12, 2008. 7:26 PMyogeshmithrajisays:
just fantastic.But I think it would not reach the public. Make it less terrifying
May 26, 2008. 11:47 PMHuggyBearsays:
This is exactly the same thing they use for backing up warnings on cars: the closer the car gets to the object the faster the pulse becomes. Things like this that seem useless, usually have practical applications.
May 27, 2008. 5:44 AMkillerjackalopesays:
Errr blind people...

Umm using them in applications where you can't see whats going on like plumbing and working with stuff in walls, these would be cheaper to manufacture that fibre optic micro cameras...
Jun 2, 2008. 10:59 PM-Aj-says:
(fibre's whats in your diet ;) ) fiber optic micro cameras are AWESOME!! who cares about the cost! BWAAA
Jun 3, 2008. 2:33 AMkillerjackalopesays:
They're not really they're rubbish compared to the wireless spy cams that are almost as compact and much better resolutions, that and you can put them anywhere, I used to know a guy that owned a shop that did all that stuff, we put spy cameras in the most random objects and places just to see if it could be done, the best was adding it to an old slr with the innards gutted to repair another one...
Jun 3, 2008. 11:58 PM-Aj-says:
lol ok.
yeah ive got a small 2.4 ghz wireless camera with a res of 640x480 (standard tv res) its only the size of a 9v battery. range of 500m (1500ft) los. Could make it smaller if i stripped off the case.
Jun 4, 2008. 2:48 PMkillerjackalopesays:
Those are sweet and you can get higher quality ones aswell, they're a great thing for movings stuff and the likes of parachuting and cycling videos...
Jun 2, 2008. 5:27 PMItsgoofytimesays:
Run around in public with these on.
Jun 1, 2008. 7:32 PMrdaumarsays:
the strobe light i wanted is the 2 in 1 strobe led light schematic diagram...
Jun 1, 2008. 7:27 PMrdaumarsays:
hello... good day.... anybody can give me a schematic diagram of 2 in 1 strobe light with PCB-layout? your help is highly appreciated. thank
May 27, 2008. 1:28 AMAndyGadgetsays:
I really like this one - Great 'ible.
You say the ultrasonic sensor has a (spec.) range of up to 4 metres. Can you get a decent beep-interval change anywhere near this? I've always been disappointed with the range of ultrasonic sensors (although I've not used ones as expensive as yours.)
May 27, 2008. 9:36 AMsunethsays:
The ranging of the sensor itself is good, for example, if you have it send the readout to your computer monitor. In terms of the interval change, it becomes much less noticeable due to the mapping that I have used. For purposes of demonstrating the technology I made the mapping work better at closer intervals. If you used a different form of feedback the range would be quite good (something continuous like pitch of a continuous tone, or some kind of display).
May 27, 2008. 2:41 PMAndyGadgetsays:
If you've got a potential range like that, I think you do need a long and short range signalling as other people are suggesting.
For long range, how about counting feet in base 5, indicated once per second? Low beep for the fives, high beep for units, so twelve feet would be 'brr brr bip bip', eight feet would be 'brr bip bip bip'.
For less than three feet, either rising tone or increasing rate pulses as discussed.
I think you could get used to that with a bit of practice.
May 27, 2008. 2:56 PMAndyGadgetsays:
In another comment you mention the spread of the signal. Wouldn't a short cardboard tube or cone on the sensor allow you to pick up signals more selectively (with the loss of some sensitivity). This may give a better indication of objects directly in front of you, rather than trying to cover your full optical field of view.
May 28, 2008. 11:22 PMsunethsays:
Interesting suggestion about the ranges. That might work well.

Here is the spread of the signal from http://www.robot-electronics.co.uk/htm/srf05tech.htm

I haven't tested using a cone to narrow a signal, but I think it might just confuse the sensor because the "pings" would reflect off the inside of the cone.
beam.gif
Jun 1, 2008. 1:14 PMAndyGadgetsays:
Good point. I remember the microwave antennas I used to deal with had RF absorbing material in the horns. For ultrasonics, I suppose the equivalent would be a fuzzy felt material.
May 31, 2008. 4:07 PMthe_burrito_mastersays:
wow very cool I'm going to give you a vote!
May 31, 2008. 11:02 AMJeremyrookersays:
Ok so I have no idea what i'm talking about, but I hope I can inspire someone...

Imagine this concept with multiple "ears" and only one output. Each "ear" had its own area it would be sensitive to, and then instead of beeps it would come out as different colors on a lcd screen. Each "ear" would make a pixel so you could "See" distances. The more "ears" the less pixelated it would be.

ORR have multiple "Ears" listing for specific audio phenomon, One for listing for amout of sound reflected-indicating texture or matieral of surface(cloth or tissue reflecting less than solid surface)- and another for sensing increased or decreased frequencies- indicating movement. In this senario, distance could be light and dark, movement would be indicated in colors. a wall far away= faint and dim, a ball bouncing t'wards you would be a bright red circle, and it bouncing away would be a darker blue circle.
May 30, 2008. 9:38 PMhypermechanicsays:
To bad we don't have hollow jaws like dolphins.
If a ultra sound version with LCD goggles could be made it would be cool.
May 30, 2008. 6:54 AMwhiteoakartsays:
This is a great science demonstration project. I am always very interested in making the connection between nature and scientific principles.

Unfortunately, as a full-time designer, I simply don't have the time to fab one.

Can you donate one to the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum? My kids would love it. Please, please, pretty please with LEDs on top. ;)

Seriously, you have a nice project here.

David
May 28, 2008. 6:30 AMac1Dsays:
Would it be possible to use the "ultrasonic" for ppl who don't see/don't have good eye?
May 28, 2008. 7:37 PMjongscxsays:
Lidar or a small-scale radar (or a combination of all these would probably be best).... Then integrate them into a usable system, so that there is a fail-over backup/redundance, create an AI or algorithm to combine those signals, then get a good UI for it so that use is essentially first-nature (You don't want obstacle avoidance to be second nature really)...

At which point it might be worth your while to just skip it and go for cybernetic ocular implants.

A really problem with using an ultrasonic ranging system would probably be that the system would be very susceptible to environmental changes (air density and conduction of sound affected by temperature, moisture, etc) and the system may not be accurate enough for something so important.
May 29, 2008. 4:32 PMmwwdesignsays:
Check this out: http://www.break.com/index/truly_amazing_blind_kid.html

This kid uses his own ultrasonic system! No hardware required.
May 29, 2008. 6:21 PMjongscxsays:
O_O... that's ridiculous... and awesome... it's Ridiculously Awesome!!!

Reminds me of Toph from Avatar... only this kid is for real. (although that "this is a fire hydrant... etc." might be a little bit cheated as he's familiar with that environment)
May 30, 2008. 6:49 AMwhiteoakartsays:
He uses his clicking in unfamiliar environments, as well. It really is quite amazing and gives you an idea of the potential and flexibility of the human brain.