Suggestion about Choosing the Right Sensor For Shape Sensor?

hi,

i want make device use sensor define kind of shape item being scanned. don't need have shape in 3d, 2d enough.

i thinking giving few ir proximity sensor, make this:

o	o	o	o	o
o	o	o	o	o
o	o	o	o	o
o	o	o	o	o
o	o	o	o	o

legends: o represents ir sensor.

how make work (in plan):
put object, interfere sensor distance. if object exist, sensor return distances less "empty". means object there. 
by collecting sensor return state, able make "rough" shape of object, in 2d form.

is possible make this? or senior here have better ideas how scan / find shape of objects.

any ideas appreciated,

thank much,


dennis.
ps: i'm new arduino here, please patient me . thank you,

i suppose if had 5-6 of these in parallel envision.
http://www.pololu.com/product/1419
or 1 on arm moved & down finer detail vs discrete steps.

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