Student knowledge: High school Biology and Algebra 2 or equivalent.
What limitations do human-made sensors have compared to the ability of echolocating animals?
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In this lesson, students explore echolocation. They will learn about the differences between our human-made devices and the abilities of echolocating animals. Students will also explore how two sonar sensors can be used to avoid obstacles and build and analyze a sonar cane for a blind person.
Sonar sensors provide a relatively cheap and reliable way of detecting obstacles. Therefore, they are often used in cars (for example, parking sensors), robots, and drones. Sonar sensors are also used as occupancy detectors. These sensors (typically mounted in the ceiling or above a light switch) detect movement in a room and switch on the lights. Maxbotix is a manufacturer of sonar sensors. They provide a web page that lists the many applications of their sensors.