Pololu IRBeacon Transceiver

The Pololu IR beacon is a compact board that is used in pairs to allow robots to locate each other. Each board has infrared emitters that shine in all directions and four IR receivers for detecting the other beacon. The IR beacons have a range of about fifteen feet indoors.

The devices are transceivers meant to be used in pairs to give robots a simple means for detecting each other. You can use the beacons to build pairs of robots that interact or chase one another, or to make a robot that can identify and return to a home base. For example, you could build a “cat robot” and “mouse robot” that each have an IR beacon, where the cat chases the mouse and the mouse runs away from the cat. The beacons are ideal for autonomous robot contests in which robots compete in pairs,

Device Specifications

• PCB size: 1.35" circle
• IR modulation frequency: 56 kHz
• Output refresh rate 20 Hz
• Detection range: 6 inches to 20 feet
• Supply voltage: 6-16 V
• Data voltage: 5 V
• Number of IR detectors: 4