Registered: Jan 2001
Location: Midwest
Posts: 232

Consider this an unscientific poll...

You can (theoretically) buy an ultrasonic springboard module for your visor. The module is only slightly larger than minimum springboard size. It sticks above the Visor so that it's emitter can face front optionally. What it does is send an ultrasonic sound out and time how long the reflected sound takes to get back. From that it shows the distance to whatever object it was pointing to. It will add the Visor's thickness or length to the measurement if appropriate. Use it to measure any room by holding your visor against one wall. It will tell you how far to the opposite wall. Hold it on the floor and it will tell you how high the ceiling is. Wanna know how wide a door opening is? Put it against one side of the opening, facing the other. Included software will figure area, volume, and any other common calculations that require distances for input. Metric or english dimensions, easily converted. Key applictation is a simple hack that allows the sonic module to serve as a simple input alternative for any application. Open any app with an input prompt, and a little radar icon appears. Tap that icon and data from the sonic module will fill the prompt. Thus you can use any existing application with it, or write your own to take advantage of it's abilities. How to access/control the module would be open-source.

Carpet estimators, realtors, HVAC contractors, architects, and probably many other professionals should find a great use for it. With a little creativity you can use it to measure the length and width of lumber, height of your growing kids, true interior volume of that minivan you're test driving, etc.. Win bar bets by claiming you can tell exactly how far a person is standing from you, maybe! In your shirt pocket aiming out it could serve as a proximity alert. It could start to beep if someone entered your "personal space". You set the alarm distance.

It sells for $39.95 + shipping.

Pick one:

a) I'd buy it in a second!
b) Sounds interesting, but not a "must have".
c) I'd like one, but too expensive.
d) Not interested.
e) other (comments please)

Personally I'd: b)Sounds interesting

Thanks for responding.

[Edited by DBrown on 01-31-2001 at 10:40 PM]

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Registered: Sep 1999
Location:
Posts: 81

a.) I'd buy it in a second!

Are you looking to start a module development company? Man, if these modules ever come out that you keep polling about, I'll be a poor Visor owner....oh wait, I already am!

Registered: Feb 2000
Location:
Posts: 638

b)

I don't think that I would get it, but I think that my father would like it if one were made. The only problem is that a Visor is not a durable device, and I don't think that it would stand up to a construction site very well. Any contractor would probably ruin it in a seconde. There's a reason why all of those tools have metal cases on them.

BEN

Registered: Jan 2001
Location: San Diego, CA
Posts: 25

Hey DBrown,

you should sign up for the "Design a cool Springboard contest". You can win 10 grand. Found the story on PDAbuzz.com but the link for contest info and signup is:

http://www.xilinx.com/contest/

Especially if you got some other cool idea up your sleeve that you haven't share with us at VC.

Registered: Jan 2001
Location: San Diego, CA
Posts: 25

Oh forgot...

b)

Registered: Jan 2001
Location: Midwest
Posts: 232

quote:

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Originally posted by BEN
b)
... The only problem is that a Visor is not a durable device, and I don't think that it would stand up to a construction site very well. Any contractor would probably ruin it in a second. There's a reason why all of those tools have metal cases on them.

BEN

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Registered: Sep 1999
Location: at work...
Posts: 736

b) sounds interesting...

depending on how frequently the module can take measurements, maybe you can market it to law enforcement as a portable speed detector

Registered: Jan 2001
Location: Midwest
Posts: 232

quote:

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Originally posted by Rob
...depending on how frequently the module can take measurements, maybe you can market it to law enforcement as a portable speed detector

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Registered: Jan 2001
Location: Oxford, OH
Posts: 60

A) buy it in a second. Being an architecture student... It would be really usefull. Especially if, once I got working, I could take it to the site, and check distances of stuff. The last couple of jobs I have had, I have had to go measure spaces... I tell you, that is a pain in the butt. Plus, you need to have a couple people to do this.

It would be really cool to be able to load in a CAD drawing, leaving the dimensions "soft", and then go to the site, tell the drawing where you are taking a measurement from... and what direction you are measuring, and then it gives you the real dimension for that space, and adjusts the drawing. Hotsyncing then updates the drawing automatically. There could also be a 3d part to it too... simple bubble guage sensor that determines if it is looking up or down, or where. So that is worth a bit more than the $40... I know that firms would be willing to pay a couple hundred for functionality like that, I would pay a couple of hundred for that sort of 3D space mapping. It would end up being cheaper than sending 2 people out to the site to measure... it would take a 1/4 the time, and would need only one person.

So... baring the mapping ability... I would like it have a note taking part to it aswell. I could put my own drawing in there, and then tell it where I was standing, and it records the measurement in a note form. I am thinking that if I am out on the site, and I need to take measurements... half the reason for taking someone else is to write down the distances, and locations. Not much point measuring digitally, and then still needing to take out a plan, and write the measurements down.

I do have a question though... why would you not use a laser. There are already devices that do this, and it would give you a better idea of what exaclty you are measuring, because you can see the dot.

-Russ

Registered: Jan 2001
Location: Midwest
Posts: 232

"I do have a question though... why would you not use a laser. There are already devices that do this, and it would give you a better idea of what exaclty you are measuring, because you can see the dot.

-Russ"


Laser technology would be fine. It's probably more expensive and problematic to implement, though. With sound, all you need is an accoustically reflective surface. With laser, some surfaces will absorb/refract/whatever, and the receiver may not be able to determine the distance accurately.


But I'd accept any technology that could work, for the price.

Dave

[Edited by DBrown on 02-01-2001 at 06:16 PM]

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Registered: Aug 2000
Location: Houston
Posts: 34

Sounds good, but also too expensive

Registered: Jan 2001
Location: Midwest
Posts: 232

quote:

---

Originally posted by RocketScientist
...Being an architecture student... It would be really usefull. Especially if, once I got working, I could take it to the site, and check distances of stuff. The last couple of jobs I have had, I have had to go measure spaces... I tell you, that is a pain in the butt. Plus, you need to have a couple people to do this.

...There could also be a 3d part to it too... simple bubble guage sensor that determines if it is looking up or down, or where. ...3D space mapping. It would end up being cheaper than sending 2 people out to the site to measure... it would take a 1/4 the time, and would need only one person.

-Russ

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Registered: May 2000
Location: St. Paul, MN
Posts: 1429

A) absoulouty!


I love how all your modules are under $50! I CAN AFFORD THEM!! yeah!!! this would be realyl cool. Real fun.. While I can thikn of no practical application, if it was les than $50 I would still buy it!

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-miradu

Registered: Jan 2001
Location: Midwest
Posts: 232

quote:

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Originally posted by miradu2000
...I love how all your modules are under $50! I CAN AFFORD THEM!! yeah!!! this would be realyl cool. Real fun.. While I can thikn of no practical application, if it was les than $50 I would still buy it!

---

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There is nothing yet made by man that cannot be improved upon.

Registered: Jan 2001
Location: Midwest
Posts: 232

quote:

---

Originally posted by RocketScientist
I do have a question though... why would you not use a laser. There are already devices that do this, and it would give you a better idea of what exaclty you are measuring, because you can see the dot.

-Russ

---

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Registered: Jan 2001
Location: Oxford, OH
Posts: 60

quote:

---

Originally posted by DBrown

quote:

---

Originally posted by RocketScientist
I do have a question though... why would you not use a laser. There are already devices that do this, and it would give you a better idea of what exaclty you are measuring, because you can see the dot.

-Russ

---

I've done a little searching, and have not been able to find a laser measuring device. I've seen several ultrasonic transducer based measurers that use a laser beam to target a narrowly focused ultrasonic wave. I'm still looking, though. If you know of a distance measurer that is strictly laser based, could you point me to it?

I use a tape measure for lots of tasks. I sat down and listed a week's worth, to see what percentage of them I could have used an ultrasonic Springboard measurer for instead. My tape measure is flexible, and occasionally measures around things. This could not be done with an in-line ultrasonic measurer. Everything else on my list I was able to think of a strategy to have used the proposed module for instead. It takes some thinking, and some tricks, but 95% of my common measurements could have been done with the Springboard measurer and those tricks.

Now I REALLY want one! ;-)

Dave

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Dave...

I must confess, I do not know personally of a laser device, I have not done any real research, I thought that I had seen them advertised, and I guess that is where I got it from. Maybe it was the laser point to show right where you were aiming too.

I was thinking too about how useful it would be to have one of these... I wonder if it would be worth buying one of the other ones, and hacking them up to figure out how they work, and perhaps prototyping something. I am a grad student though, and I already have enough work right now... with my thesis and all . I would really be interested if you decide to chase this further... I might do a little checking around, and see if there is an EE student who might be interested in doing something with this.

Which school do you teach at, I am a grad student at Miami University, in Ohio.

-Russ

Registered: Dec 2000
Location:
Posts: 19

Laser Measuring Device

There is a product called the Disto that uses laser technology.

Registered: Aug 2000
Location: UK
Posts: 36

Yes Please!!

Dave,
what a coincidence.i was just thinking of such a device this morning.searched for *measure* and landed almost exactly my own thoughts!i think some kind of laser-pointer implementation would be necessary to define the target unambiguously.cad export ability too.
in answer to your question,
emphatically a).
where do i sign?
Ben

Registered: Feb 2001
Location:
Posts: 138

a. Buy it in a minute. Extremely useful.

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