Please be advised all Hokuyo components not in stock now have a 10-12 month lead time
Supply voltage: 12VDC ±10%
Detectable in Snowy, Rainy, Foggy and Dusty conditions
Ethernet Interface
Can be used Outdoors
IP Rating: 67
The Hokuyo UTM-30LX-EW Scanning Laser Rangefinderis a small, accurate, high-speed device for outdoor robotic applications. This model uses Ethernet interface for communication and can obtain measurement data in a wider field of view up to a distance of 30 meters with millimeter resolution in a 270° arc. To ensure reliable measurement results in adverse conditions such as rain, fog, snow, or dusty environments, this device uses multi-echo technology for detection. It allows for receiving multiple reflected waves per transmitted laser pulse in order to obtain usable measurement data. The result is very reliable object detection and 2-D mapping of the environment in all weather conditions.
I have been using the UTM-30LX for several years now for indoor positioning and can't say enough good things about it. When it came time to purchase some more, I was ecstatic to find a TCP enabled version of the same laser. Hokuyo seems to have taken all the minor things that were problematic (at least for my application) about the UTM-30LX and upgraded them to make this version. Functionally, the laser appears to work the same. I don't use it outside so I can't comment on how much better it works in dusty/sunny conditions. I did, however notice an improvement with some types of reflective objects. Like the older UTM-30LX, it has the same power cable with identical connectors. The second cable, however, is about 10 inches in length with an RJ45 connector. They include an adaptor so you can simply plug in an Ethernet cable to extend to any length. Within an hour, I had this laser up and running with the TCP communication. It defaulted to 192.168.0.11, port 10940 and there was software on the Hokuyo to change the IP address and gateway. There was no obvious way to change the port number, however this is not a big deal. One thing to note however, is that the TCP stream appeared to have a few extra line feeds (\n) on the end of each message that needed to be parsed out. Also not a big deal. Mechanically, there is no change in the operation speed, 25ms per revolution, but now there is much more flexibility in the communication speed. This is not so much of a deal if you have a single laser plugged into a computer, but if you have multiple devices, this is huge. You can now utilize a typical 10/100 or 10/1000 router or switch which is a big step up from the USB 2.0 (limited to somewhere around 480 Mbs). I tested multiple high speed devices on both a hardwired switch, and wireless router with multiple other high speed devices with absolutely no lag. I would HIGHLY recommend this for anyone needing the fantastic operation capability of the UTM-30LX but with wireless/more flexible/rugged connection and protocol.