Use IRSeeker V2 to detect candlelight

[PABoyz]

Hi!
Is it possible to detect a tealight using the NXT IRSeeker V2 from HiTechnic Products?
We want to use the sensor for a robot that seeks a room for a tealight and extinguish it.
If that's possible, will background signals, like sunlight, interfere with the IR-signals from the tealight?

Thanks in advance!

[kirkpthompson]

Hi.

It may be possible but I believe that sensor is more suited to detect an IR source such as an IR emitting "soccer ball". There are other sensors out there that may be better for this task, such as a IR temperature sensor (more sensitive) as they may be better at discerning your target source from background. And that is a perfect segue into...

will background signals, like sunlight, interfere with the IR-signals from the tealight?

Yes. Any Infrared radiation-emitting source will be detected. Although according to the documentation (http://www.hitechnic.com/cgi-bin/commerce.cgi?preadd=action&key=NSK1042), the sensor can be set for modulated mode which filters out "unwanted" sources. But, this will probably include the tealight as well.

Search for "NXT infrared Temperature Sensor" with your preferred search provider. I know that Dexter Industries has one because I have on on order so that I can write a LeJOS driver for it.

Best,
-K

[PABoyz]

Thank you for that answer!

The temperature sensor from Dexter Industries seems to be what we are looking for,
when do you think you will have the drivers for it released?

[kirkpthompson]

Hello. I think "now" is good guess

First cut of the driver is in the SVN repository: http://lejos.svn.sourceforge.net/viewvc/lejos/trunk/classes/src_shared/lejos/nxt/addon/DThermalIR.java?revision=6616&view=markup

Let me know how you get on.

-K

[PABoyz]

Ooh, that was quickly done!

We don't even own a Mindstorms set yet, the reason we asked is because we will use it in a school project this autumn, which shall be finished in spring next year. Our idea is to build a NXT that searches a room for a tealight and extinguishes it.

When we have the set and the sensor we will let you know if the driver is working, but we don't doubt it.