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How to Make a Sonic Transducer

Modern technology provides many different devices for measuring distances. In fact, distance can be measured through sound waves. Ultrasonic, or sonic, transducers use high pitch sound frequencies for determining an object's distance. Sound waves emanate from a sonic transmitter, bounce off an object, and echo into a sonic receiver. The sound waves' travel time corresponds to the distance value. Making a sonic transducer requires some electronic knowledge and soldering skills.

Things You'll Need

Soldering iron
Solder
Printed circuit board (PCB)
Sonic transmitter
Sonic receiver
Resistors
Inductor
Transistor
Diode
Capacitors
Electrical jumper wire
Power supply
Power supply leads

Instructions

- 1
  Solder the sonic transmitter and receiver components onto the PCB, with the soldering iron. Make sure the components are lined up parallel to one another.
- 2
  Turn over the PCB. Solder an inductor component into the PCB, just below the protruding legs of the sonic transmitter, with the soldering iron. Then solder a resistor below the sonic receiver's legs.
- 3
  Solder a PIC -- or programmable interrupter controller -- component into the PCB's center. Connect a resistor, transistor and diode in line to the PIC component's number two leg. Solder this long component line into the PCB.
- 4
  Connect an electrical jumper wire between the PIC component's number one leg and the sonic receiver. Solder this connection as well.
- 5
  Insert a capacitor and resistor into the PCB, below the soldered inductor. Make sure the capacitor and resistor are located on parallel rows beneath the inductor, forming a ladder shape along the PCB surface.
- 6
  Apply 5 volts of power from a power supply. Attach the power supply's positive lead to the sonic transmitter and the negative lead to the PIC component's number three leg.

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