The options when specifying sensors for long-range object detection or positioning usually boil down to two alternatives: optical sensors using either infrared or visible-red light and ultrasonic.

Company Announcement - The Leuze RK46C-VarOS retro-reflective photoelectric sensor is capable of detecting objects over an operating range of 0.4 to 5.2 metres, with a light band width of 45 to 50 mm.

The usual way of detecting objects of varying shapes, heights, or positions has been through the use of an array of single-beam photoelectric sensors or a thru-beam light grid: a photoelectric array ...