Infrared (IR) Obstacle Avoidance Sensor Module

How does a robot know when it’s about to hit a wall? Often, it uses this simple module. It works by emitting an infrared light beam and detecting if that light bounces back off an object. It features a built-in potentiometer (the blue square) that lets you adjust the detection distance (usually 2cm to 30cm). It’s incredibly fast and easy to use—when it sees an obstacle, the output pin goes LOW, and the onboard LED lights up. It is the core component for “Line Follower” robots and simple obstacle avoiders.