Proximity 16 Click is a compact add-on board that contains a close-range proximity sensing solution. This board features the VL53L5CX, a Time-of-Flight (ToF) multizone ranging sensor from STMicroelectronics. The VL53L5CX integrates a SPAD array, physical infrared filters, and diffractive optical elements (DOE) to achieve the best-ranging performance in various ambient lighting conditions with different cover glass materials. It allows absolute distance measurement, whatever the target color and reflectance, provides accurate ranging up to 400cm, and can work at fast speeds (60Hz). Also, multizone distance measurements are possible with either 4x4 or 8x8 separate zones with broad 63° diagonal software-configurable Field-of-View (FoV). This Click board™ is suitable for multizone and multi-object distance detection, content management, gesture recognition, and various consumer and industrial applications.

Proximity 16 Click as its foundation uses the VL53L5CX, an 8x8 multi-zone Time-of-Flight sensor with wide FoV for each zone from STMicroelectronics. The VL53L5CX offers multi-target detection and distance measurement in each zone up to 4 meters. It integrates a SPAD array, physical infrared filters, and diffractive optical elements to achieve the best-ranging performance in various ambient lighting conditions. Also, with ST’s patented histogram algorithms, the VL53L5CX detects multiple objects within the FoV and ensures immunity to cover glass crosstalk beyond 60cm.

Using diffractive optical elements above the vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) allows a square field-of-view of 45°x45° (63° diagonal) to be projected onto the scene, where the receiver lens focuses the light reflection onto a SPAD array. The VL53L5CX can range up to 8x8 zones at 15Hz for higher resolution or 4x4 zones at 60Hz for faster-ranging measurements.

Proximity 16 Click communicates with MCU using the standard I2C 2-Wire interface to read data and configure settings, supporting Fast Mode Plus Mode up to 1MHz. Also, this Click board™ provides the ability to use I2C communication in Low-Power mode, which activates via the setting of the LP pin routed to the PWM pin on the mikroBUS™ socket. Besides, it provides an intelligent interrupt function that generates every time a ranging measurement is available, alongside an I2C Reset feature routed to the RST pin on the mikroBUS™ socket, which resets the sensor I2C communication only. Once the host reads the result, the interrupt is cleared, and the ranging sequence can repeat.

This Click board™ can be operated only with a 3.3V logic voltage level. The board must perform appropriate logic voltage level conversion before using MCUs with different logic levels. However, the Click board™ comes equipped with a library containing functions and an example code that can be used, as a reference, for further development.

• Interface: I²C
• Compatibility: mikroBUS™
• Dimensions: 28.6 x 25.4mm
• Input Voltage: 3.3V
• Supply Voltage: 3.3V
• Operating Range: 4m
• Ranging Frequency: 60Hz
• Operating Temperature Range: Min. -30°C, Typ. +25°C, Max. +85°C

• Schematic
• VL53L5CX Datasheet
• mikroSDK
• LibStock