Arduino enthusiast Lucky Larry has used a Sharp Infra-Red distance sensor, servos, Arduino and the Processing language to create a simple yet interesting radar-sweep display. The sensor is rotated on a 180-degree sweep using a servo, and the distance data is sent back to the PC via an Arduino. Using a Processing sketch, the computer interprets the incoming data and converts it to the familiar radar-sweep display:
Kudos to Larry for this project. Once again it shows what can be possible with an Arduino-style board and some imagination. For more information and detailed instructions, visit Larry's pages starting here. To get started with your own miniature radar system, consider our Freetronics Eleven - the Arduino-Uno compatible with low-profile USB socket, onboard prototyping space and easy to view LEDs: