TF Mini-PLUS LiDAR (ToF) Laser Range Finder

When experimenting with various kinds of Electronics Modules and components, sensors are often the most exciting modules to play with, as each one offers a unique way to sense the world, which of course can give your robots and other projects more ways to react to or interact with their environments. This is why we simply love awesome Sensor Modules like the TF Mini-PLUS LiDAR (ToF) Laser Range Finder, which looks like one of our simple Infrared Distance Sensors at first glance, but actually uses near-infrared modulation wave pulses rather infrared intensity levels to define distances more accurately and further – with the extra benefit of working at all times of the day too.

The TF Mini-PLUS is an enhanced version of the TF Mini LiDAR Sensor Module, and has been upgraded with a substantially faster refresh rate of 1000Hz compared to 100Hz, a reduced blind zone of only 10cm compared to the previous 30cm, a wider 3.6° field of view compared to 2.3°, as well as a host of other small but genuinely meaningful improvements. These features are all complemented by reasonably diverse Serial Communications protocols, with this module being capable of both UART and IIC, with a convenient 5V operating voltage to make it usable with a good range of different Microcontrollers like Arduino Boards.

Typical Applications for the TF Mini-PLUS LiDAR (ToF) Laser Range Finder:

If you’ve been looking for a way to really step up the distance sensing capabilities of your electronics and robotics projects, this TF Mini-PLUS LiDAR Sensor offers far more accuracy and repeatability compared to many conventional proximity sensors such as Infrared or ultrasonic. It is an incredible sensor as is, but can also be improved even further by 3D Printing or otherwise building a rotating enclosure that lets this unit spin as it maps out the surrounding areas one frame at a time. The faster sampling rate compared to previous models also means that this can all happen at impressive speeds, enabling you to build projects like:

• Giving your RC Drone or flying robot senses that can accurately identify the distance from the ground, allowing for safe automated landings regardless of what kind of (non-reflective) surface it needs to land on.
• Creating assistive technologies for blind people and people with other disabilities, to give them vibration-motor-based senses so they can tell how far away a wall, couch or similar obstacle is by simply pointing towards it.
• Building a racing robot that starts off slowly, learning the track or obstacle course, and then getting faster and faster as it learns the positions of all of the obstacles, walls and other interesting additions.

The TF Mini-PLUS LiDAR (ToF) Laser Range Finder is certainly an awesome little module that we’ve had a lot of fun experimenting with, but even we feel like we’ve only scratched the surface of what’s possible with LiDAR technology. So if you’re eager to step up your projects with a much more reliable and repeatable proximity sensor, there are few sensors better than the TF Mini-PLUS from DFRobot.

Additional Resources:

• If you’re eager to find more information about this awesome sensor, be sure to take a look at the official TF Mini-PLUS GitHub Page, which contains documentation, code examples and more insights to help you get the most out of your distance sensing applications.

As self-proclaimed “Robo-holics”, DFRobot is a company comprised of over 100 staff members, of which 30% are engineers who love to build robots. It was started in 2008 with the goal of embracing and promoting open-source hardware, with a core focus on Arduino, Raspberry Pi and their very own LattePanda development boards. Since then, DFRobot have manufactured over 1300 unique modules, sensors and components that all work together and complement each other, allowing users like us to enjoy a full spectrum of cutting edge robotics and electronics without having to pay premium prices.

With the primary goal of developing and manufacturing great quality products, while making them accessible to as many people as possible, DFRobot are rapidly becoming one of the most common-place brands in the world of open-source robotics and electronics. With more than 1300 products developed in-house, and an impressive range of different categories and specialisations, there are few brands in the world who can compete in terms of quality, accessibility and genuine innovation.