I am interested in analyzing surfaces of objects to detect natural and man-made shaping of the object surface, and I have been experimenting, using a MP3 player/recorder to record the sound, as I drag various fabrics attached to the player across the objects.
Fingerprint scanners operated about 500 DPI, and the "ridges" that I want to "transducer" are a little coarser than that.
I have experimented with various "transducer interface materials" glued onto the MP3 player, and I have not found a suitable material, as all materials have many resonances, and those, combined with the resonances of the MP3 players I have used, tend to obscure the data associated with the surfaces, that I want to analyze.
I would appreciate any input and ideas about producing an audio signal that models a surface, in a small portable, inexpensive package.
A small, low-power, laser probe would probably do a better job, and I am hopeful of using an MP3 player/recorder for this, as the cost, size, power consumption and frequency response seems to be ideal.
Does anyone have any input on how an optical mouse might work as a surface scanner, and how it can be interfaced to an MP3 player?
The data from the MP3 player would be downloaded into a PC and analyzed. I have experimented with a number of time series analyzer programs such as SigView, and would also appreciate any suggestions on how to best present the data, so it could be interpreted by a layman.
Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.