Action 

Description 

• Create a Zone and choose the 'cone' style,
• Show the Modify panel then select the Devices sub-panel.

 

 

• Click on Choose Device icon to open the list of plugins that may be attached to this geometry,
• Choose a Distance sensor.

Mount As: represents the name of the device in the simulation.
 

 

Double-click on the sensor's reference in order to display/change its settings:

Type:
Indicates sensor type: infrared, ultrasound, or laser.

Value:
Indicates whether or not returned values are linear or "all or nothing". If values are "all or nothing," then sensor returns 1 when it sees something, 0 otherwise.

Noise:
Sensor random noise. This noise is mixed with material(s) noise(s) if sensor is Material Sensitive.

Min distance:
Distance under which the sensor can no longer "see" (for example, due to its mechanical construction).

Length:
Maximum detection distance of the reference material. The reference material for infrared is that which has 100% IR reflection (see Material properties). The Length includes the Min distance.

Material sensitive:
Indicates whether or not the measurement composition takes into account the type of material in front of the sensor.

Aperture:
Opening angle of the detection cone (the cone represents the volume covered by the sensor in simulation).

Signal Management:
Power Ramp: The returned measure is mixed with the material reflection coefficient. If materials's reflection is > 100%, the measure is truncated. If Material réflexion is less than 100%, the objects seem to be further.
Measuring time: The returned value is the good one until no more signal is received by sensor's receiver.

Non Linear:
If Power Ramp method is used, the non linear length is a range inside witch sensor value ups whereas the distance downs: the signal emitted by the emitter cannot return to the receiver part because the proximity.

Aperture and Length can be overridden in the Instance panel.
 

 

In MODA programming, distance sensors are accessible via the DeviceDistance class. The sensor's full path, starting at PHX "/" is zone0/right.