What kind of sensor can I use to determine approximate distance of small animal?

Question

I am using an Arduino Uno and it will be in an inside environment. I want to determine if the arduino is getting closer or farther from a pet. I have been playing around with the idea of either a Microwave Doppler Radar, however, that is more for movement than distance. IR sensors won't detect through walls, plus the pets are black and absorb much of the radiaiton. Ultrasonic is out of the question as it disturbs the pets. Any other ideas or maybe something I am overlooking?

DAB · Answer

Use the Grid Eye sensor. It can detect small IR signatures up to about 5 meters. DAB

djfraz · Answer

Have you considered an iBeacon. Most mobile apps can give you a distance measurement once calibrated. It can be done using an intel edison, i think it can be done on the esp32 module as well

davetechnosis · Answer

You can use BLE 4.2 sensors with a mobile app. Have one proximity tag in the dog's belt and then place BLE beacons in each room. The beacons needs to be under mesh protocol, so all will be connected. Then, simply tie it up with your mobile app to check the pet's position. PS: I recently worked in one of the Smart Pet Belt app where in if pet goes outside the proximity of 30 meters from the phone, it shoots static current (its cruel) but good to train pets.

COMPACT · Answer

Use more cameras - on each side of the wall. Use RF to communicate to the cameras.

koudelad · Answer

No, it can't detect objects behind a wall. However, you can use the module in every room / behind every wall to cover the whole area.

How about using something more powerful like Raspberry Pi + a camera module and do an optical detection?

koudelad · Answer

Well, yes, all optical methods have problems with detection of anything behind a material blocking light.

It depends on what exactly you need to know about the position / distance and what are the specifics of your area. Anyway, not everything can be resolved with just one sensor.

DAB · Answer

Depending upon the wall material, you might be able to use a capacitive sensor. DAB

wmbell65 · Answer

i think the technology will depend on additional parameters.. is this strictly indoors or outside as well? What distances are you looking to detect at? Are you looking to track the animal or react when it gets close? you could look at a variation of geo fencing using rfid tags and antennae in various rooms.. if you are looking at a reactive system, motion sensors and proximity sensors might do the trick

pettitda · Answer

Theoretically, you could use time of arrival. The idea is that you have three or more beacons in the area and as long as the target is between them you can compare the time of arrival of each beacon to triangulate the approximate position of the pet. Of course, with RF you have to have a way to keep the timing accurate to less than a nanosecond to get even 1 meter accuracy. If you used sound, you could do the same thing with less timing accuracy but you'd have to be able to tell the difference between the beacon and other sounds.

What kind of sensor can I use to determine approximate distance of small animal?

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