Application

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AI applications requiring multizone raw data

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Cup rim detection for coffee machines and beverage dispensers

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Floor sensing for robotics and vacuum cleaners

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Gesture motion and hand posture recognition

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People counting for smart buildings and smart homes

Description

The VL53L8CH is the perfect Time-of-Flight sensor enabling AI applications, with enhanced performance under

ambient light with a wide 65° diagonal FoV. The compact and normalized histogram (CNH) innovative data output

is specially designed for artificial intelligence (AI) applications requiring multizone raw data from a high

performance multizone ToF sensor.

The IR signal measured in each zone is sent as raw data to the host through each bin of the histogram. Highly

configurable, the user can program the resolution of the VL53L8CH up to 64 zones (8x8 zones), modify the

histogram resolution up to 128 bins, and define the bin width. All this CNH data is transmitted to the host through

I²C or SPI, up to 30 Hz, in addition to the standard processed data of the ToF sensor (ranging distance, signal

level, reflectance etc.).

The CNH data transform STMicroelectronics' Time-of-Flight ranging sensor into a versatile optical sensor, which

can enable endless AI-based applications. This CNH raw data sent to the host, on top of the standard ranging

data, opens the door to many new applications beyond simple distance measurements. From solid material

(carpet, wood, glass, mirror...) to gas or liquid (water, oil, chemical...), it becomes possible to detect the location

and the size of a cup in a coffee machine or beverage dispenser, to sense the floor material for robotics, and

develop advanced shape, motion, or hand posture recognition.

The VL53L8CH integrates a powerful new generation VCSEL, and two advanced metasurface lenses. The

integrated VCSEL emits fully invisible 940 nm IR light, which is Class 1 certified and safe for the eyes.

VL53L8CH

DS14310 - Rev 3

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