Vishay has a lot of light sensors out there, and this is a nice simple lux sensor that’s easy to add to any microcontoller. Most light sensors just give you a number for brighter/darker ambient lighting. The VEML7700 makes your life easier by calculating the lux, which is an SI unit for light. You’ll get more consistent readings between multiple sensors because you aren’t dealing with some unit-less values.
The sensor has 16-bit dynamic range for ambient light detection from 0 lux to about 120 klux with resolution down to 0.0036 lx/ct, with software-adjustable gain and integration times.
Interfacing is easy – this sensor uses plain, universal I2C. We put this sensor on a breakout board with a 3.3V regulator and logic level shifter so you can use it with 3.3V or 5V power/logic microcontrollers. We have written libraries for Arduino (C/C++) as well as CircuitPython (Python 3) so you can use this sensor with just about any kind of device, even a Raspberry Pi!
This is Kattni’s first PCB design for Adafruit, it’s even signed on the back!
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Stop breadboarding and soldering – start making immediately! Adafruit’s Circuit Playground is jam-packed with LEDs, sensors, buttons, alligator clip pads and more. Build projects with Circuit Playground in a few minutes with the drag-and-drop MakeCode programming site, learn computer science using the CS Discoveries class on code.org, jump into CircuitPython to learn Python and hardware together, TinyGO, or even use the Arduino IDE. Circuit Playground Express is the newest and best Circuit Playground board, with support for CircuitPython, MakeCode, and Arduino. It has a powerful processor, 10 NeoPixels, mini speaker, InfraRed receive and transmit, two buttons, a switch, 14 alligator clip pads, and lots of sensors: capacitive touch, IR proximity, temperature, light, motion and sound. A whole wide world of electronics and coding is waiting for you, and it fits in the palm of your hand.
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