The ultrasonic sensor transmits ultrasonic waves above 20 kHz and detects the reflected waves with a receiver to measure distance. The HC-SR04 module can measure distances from 2 to 400 cm with 5V power and works by sending a 10 microsecond trigger signal to initiate a transmission, then measuring the echo pulse width to calculate the distance. Ultrasonic sensors can be used to measure distance, level, presence and more without contact and have applications in obstacle detection robots, parking assistance systems and more.