Digital ambient light sensor closely matches human eye perception

The Texas Instruments OPT3001 digital ambient light sensor is now available from Farnell element14. The sensor overcomes a common problem with light sensors by closely matching its spectral response to the human eye's perception, with 99% infrared rejection. The OPT3001 is designed for systems that create light-based experiences for humans, while being a much better match to human vision than more conventional devices such as photodiodes, photoresistors or other ambient light sensors, says the company. Measurements range from 0.01 lux up to 83k lux without manually selecting full-scale ranges by using the built-in, full-scale setting feature. This incredible flexibility enables light measurement over a 23-bit effective dynamic range. The OPT3001's can take either continuous or single-shot measurements, making it highly flexible for system integration, with a digital output that is reported over an I2C- and SMBus-compatible, two-wire serial interface. The low power consumption and low power-supply voltage capability of the OPT3001 also make it ideal for battery-powered systems.