DIYer constructs Ultrasonic Batgoggles, doles out instructions

To be exceptionally honest with you, Ultrasonic Batgoggles don't exactly need any pimping from us. What you see above is a homegrown device that enables humans to discover how bats must feel when using echolocation in order to judge how far away certain objects are. The main components are an Arduino microcontroller clone, Devantech ultrasonic sensor and a set of welding goggles -- oh, and a sick poker face to really round things out. Check out the links below to get a gist of the background as well as a step-by-step guide to concocting your own.

Read - Ultrasonic Batgoggles project page
Read - Ultrasonic Batgoggles How-to guide

[marty.com.au @ May 29th 2008 5:45AM]

Holy nerd-no-girlfriend batman!

[NG @ May 29th 2008 8:27AM]

More like a tai looking big ass cockroach

[Steve B. Job @ May 29th 2008 5:54AM]

Bat-senses initiated...no women within five hundred kilometre radius...commence penile echostimulation and cry self to sleep...again.

[gad get @ May 29th 2008 5:54AM]

The time, talent, and creativity that went into making this was sorely wasted. Seriously, what's the point?!

[zoara @ May 29th 2008 9:06AM]

Did you try reading the product page? That would explain "the point" to you very well. Everyone else making "stupid-looking geek" jokes has also not bothered to read the article (for example, it deliberately looks more stupid than it needs to, cos the kids they love it).

For what it's worth, I think what he's done is admirable. I'd have loved to have played with something like this when I visited science museums as a kid. As the guy says, it would have demonstrated the echolocation concept in an easy and memorable (and fun) way.

But you wouldn't see me wearing bat-ear goggles these days. I'm too old and sensible now. Um.

[zoara @ May 29th 2008 9:07AM]

Uh, "project page". Silly me.

[Wwhat @ May 29th 2008 1:21PM]

It's a very poor effort, and the site's fancy wording doesn't even begin to hide that.

[Sheepman @ May 29th 2008 6:00AM]

i dont like bats

[Armoured @ May 29th 2008 6:54AM]

Not even Ace Ventura does!

[Bad Beaver @ May 29th 2008 6:08AM]

Ultrasonic proximity sensor, wheee! I guess the "ears" are just a visual "blind geek approaching" indicator to warn the innocent.

[Slyver @ May 29th 2008 6:20AM]

He should have warned my that the vid contains extremly annyoing high pitched beeps....my ears...

[Zoinks @ May 29th 2008 6:22AM]

Goddamit! Even bats think I look like a loser! Next step - ant vision...

[gad get @ May 29th 2008 7:22AM]

Even ants think I look like a loser!

[nick @ May 29th 2008 6:27AM]

the goggles, they do nothing!

[MaC @ May 29th 2008 6:43AM]

Yeah... those antenna look like. Well, what SIlent bob made into a cd player and won a science fair.

[goldy @ May 29th 2008 7:08AM]

it would be great if somehow, with processing power of some small cpu,
instead of black glasses of these goggles on tiny LSDs or OLEDs we can see an actual picture generated by the echolocators, like the surface of the bottom of the sea . get it?

[Michael @ May 29th 2008 7:12AM]

Im sure putting these on while on LSD would not be advisable.

[gad get @ May 29th 2008 7:21AM]

@ Goldy

I don't get it, actually. Care to explain?

[goldy @ May 29th 2008 7:57AM]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonar
in 3D on lcds

[tingulz @ May 29th 2008 8:56AM]

I know it may be difficult to understand but maybe this guy is trying to create something for blind people to use to get around. Instead of using a stick or a dog to get around they could use echolocation. Sounds like a good idea to me.

[goldy @ May 29th 2008 10:17AM]

What you saying actually sounds very realistic. Could be!

[Life of Brian @ May 29th 2008 11:40AM]

I'm pretty certain that already exists.

[Wwhat @ May 29th 2008 1:23PM]

Yeah they already got that for years, except the sounder is not displayed in such a silly way.

[JBDragon @ May 30th 2008 12:57AM]

I was watching a news show, I think 20/20, and they had a few people on that made like clicking noises themselves and could Echo Locate themselves. Completely blind, and yet could tell what was a bush, a fence, people, riding around on a bike without any problem, etc. Pretty amazing how they do it. Really, almost like a bat. The experts say it's not as high pitched and as fast as a bat so the resolution isn't as good. Then again a bat is trying to find a small little bug in a mass of bats!

[Gingerbread Man @ May 29th 2008 9:25AM]

Looks like goggles a Star Wars podracer would wear.

[gad get @ May 29th 2008 5:52PM]

Or the driver of said podracer.

[Broken Haiku @ May 29th 2008 10:19AM]

That video had me on the floor checking why my UPS was crying.

[Life of Brian @ May 29th 2008 11:42AM]

At first I was scratching my head trying to understand why he would build something so dorky, but when I read that it was built as a way to teach kids about echolocation it makes total sense and is actually pretty cool.

[Stem $ell @ May 29th 2008 11:50AM]

As a digital expression of an analogue process, it follows this gizmo would be great for (echo)locating, er, code 'bugs'.... [Note: when pointed at a Vista equipped Dimension desktop it squeals like a bat out of, er, Dell....]

[Loonie @ May 29th 2008 12:17PM]

It looks like an anthropomorphic Riddick rabbit or something.

[Rick @ May 29th 2008 5:39PM]

Ratchet and Clank anyone?

[elvis-in-vegas @ May 30th 2008 12:29AM]

call george lucas, warn him of impending break in at skywalker ranch by deranged fan wearing welding goggles and sporting "sick poker face"

[Harry Ballsec @ Jun 2nd 2008 1:13PM]

GO GO GADGET Ultrasonic Batgoggles!