APDS-9930 Ambient Light and Proximity Sensor Breakout

Breakout board built around the Avago APDS-9930 ambient light sensor (ALS) and proximity sensor with infrared LED. Paired with Arduino/Fishino or another microcontroller, it can be used to measure ambient light levels or to detect a moving object. Ambient light sensing mimics the response of the human eye, has 16 bit resolution and high sensitivity, and works down to very low light levels (0.01 lux) even behind dark glass, as in a mobile phone. Proximity sensing is calibrated for detection at 100 mm and works well both in bright sunlight and in dark rooms.

Applications: widely used in mobile phones to lock or blank the screen when the phone is held against the ear, in backlight control, in notebook and monitor security, and so on.

Warning! The breakout runs at 3.3 V. Two-way communication with 5 volt devices needs a level shifter (see related products).

• Ambient light sensing (ALS):
  – Mimics the response of the human eye
  – Programmable interrupt function with upper and lower thresholds
  – Resolution up to 16-Bit
  – High sensitivity, works behind tinted glass
  – Operates down to very low light levels, as low as 0.01 lux
• Proximity sensing:
  – Fully calibrated for detection at 100 mm
  – Built-in IR LED and synchronous LED driver
• Programmable wait timer:
  – Wait State Power – 90 µA Typical
  – Programmable from 2.7 ms to > 8 sec
• I2C interface:
  – Up to 400 kHz (I2C Fast-Mode)
  – Dedicated interrupt pin
• Power supply: 3.3 VDC

• Datasheet
• Arduino library