What is the fundamental operating principle characterizing the modern ultrasonic sensor for non-contact distance measurement?
Answer
Time-of-flight measurement
The core mechanism that enables a modern ultrasonic sensor to determine the distance to a target object is the measurement of the time elapsed between emitting a sound burst and receiving its echo. This method is known as time-of-flight measurement. Since the speed of sound in air is reasonably constant under controlled conditions, calculating the round-trip time allows the system's internal electronics to mathematically derive the distance to the object struck by the 'ping'. This principle relies on accurate timing circuitry packaged directly within the sensor unit alongside the emitting and receiving piezoelectric elements.
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