Meeting Notes October 31st, 2025

Discussion

• Needed range: 67 inches (1.7018 meters)

Pi’s:

• Pi 0: 5 volt limitation (without work around)
• Pi 4: bigger (heat issues), more expensive (dont have the budget for each step to have a Pi 4)

Sensors we have in house:

• Ultrasonic
  • Con: Interference issues, doesn’t work with 0
  • Pro: Plenty of range
• Analog distance Sensor
  • Con: Needs an ADC (analog digital converter)
  • Pro: Enough range (barely)
• Time of flight
  • Con: Slightly more expensive, not enough range
  • Pro: N/A not enough range to consider (works with Pi 0)
• Beam break sensor
  • Con: Not enough range
  • Pro: N/A not enough range to consider
• IR Trip Sensor
  • Con: Not nearly enough range
  • Pro: N/A not enough range to consider
• Infrared-red trig
  • Con: Not enough range, also analog
  • Pro: N/A not enough range to consider

Not in house:

• Radar/microwave sensors
  • Con: Requires to much power
  • Pro: Enough range
• Garage door sensor
  • Con: High voltage requirements (works with power workaround)
  • Pro: Enough range

Key Decisions

• Learned we do not have the supplies in house to make a working prototype