Sounds awesome. Thanks for looking into it it will help to figure out which is best for an application.

Sensors is mostly where i am a expert at,i know and tested almost every sensor made

Sensor bench (mostly called a optical bench) as i call it is pretty simple to make its mostly a sloted guide rail with a ruler and attachments to hold different type of sensors and materials under test. Mostly for distance sensors.

I just ordered my optical bench and should get it in a few days,next is to make mounts for different types of sensors for it.

robotmaker, I would appreciate a link to the optical bench site! I do appreciate your inputs and would like to hear more on this thread!

optical bench

IT came in finally,next step is to make custom mounts for different types of sensors and materials i hate spreadsheets,so will use notepad or word pad for my data

FIRST is maxsonar sonars and then daventech SRF-04 and next china types.

Mostly checking for distance accuracy and stablity at at horizonal and vertical position plus current min-max on each type.

Corner wall pickup is the hardest for sensors to pick up,need a very narrow cone detection.

After its done next is IR testing.

Quick question robotmaker If I wanted a sensor to monitor my robots energy consumption what would you recommend?

i guess you meen battery current,that would be a current sensor ,fairly cheap $9.99 or ebay you can get them cheaper PART # ACS714

CURRENT SENSOR

find one near the max current of your battery one i have the link too is 0-30 amps,but they make others it has a analog output and very easy to use

Okay, that's perfect! I was looking at them on eBay the other evening and I just wasn't sure is that was the best way to measure current. Should I measure volts too or would that remain constant?

Do you have an opinion on vibration sensors? If I wanted to detect some one walking near my robot it that possible?

Vibration there are many types ,proximity.capactive,motion,and vibration sensor. All do about the same. Motion is for people distance,capactive types are for close touching ,also vibration are the same. A good motion sensor is PIR part # AMN22111 ,very small fairly low cost ,great people detector And they make them with analog or digital output ,made by panasonic what good about them then other types of PIR sensors are very tiny,very easy to mount

On current sensor dont really need to detect voltage,it remains constant till current level drops too low.

Cool. I've got the PIR sensors, no probs. I just bought a vibration sensor:

Black Vibration Sensor

Just wan't sure how sensitive it was. Guess I'll find out when I get it. I've been looking at the spark fun peizo vibration sensors. I wanted one that was super sensitive and another one that would be much less. I was hoping to be able to detect someone walking downstairs and some one walking twords the robot.

Just curious robotmaker what software do you use to measure the time vs signal level results from your testing?

Vibration sensors are hard to use,since the robot is moving and any false moves will trigger the sensor. What a vibration sensor is a 2 pins and sometimes a ball touches the contacts.

Some use too use mercury,best type of vibration sensor is a adjustable type second on vibration you need to bump in to the robot to set if off

PEIZO types are about the same you need it to be very close to the robot (touching)

Vibration sensor is when you bump in to the robot and make it vibrate

On piezo and capactance types it very close touching

Proximity are made for longer distance like PIR TYPES,but are hard to make ,and mostly RFI TYPES SO THEY DO HAVE PROBLEMS

There is no software i use,mostly is a distance meter in inches for ping type sensors one i got was from china, any type of sonar with PING and ECHO ouputs can be used it has a microprocessor and lcd display plus calibrated optical bench with a ruler I was going to make one using a arduino and lcd for stability ,i use a scope will look for the link on the distance meter from CHINA