New product: VL53L8CX Time-of-Flight 8×8-Zone Distance Sensor Carrier

VL53L8CX - can you help with a micropython firmware?

Hello.

We do not currently have any MicroPython example programs for the VL53L8CX, but if you are interested in working on that, ST's API (application programming interface) should be a useful reference. You can find a link to that as well as other documentation on the product page under the "Resources" tab.

- Patrick

Hi, this is a very useful sensor but there is lack of support using SPI and it usability is limited to ESP32 as of now, it did not work on Pi 4 so where can I get more support and resources to use this sensor.

Hello.

It should be possible to make a program to run on your Raspberry Pi that allows it to control the VL53L8CX using ST's Ultra Lite Driver API, or it might be possible to use their Linux driver, but we do not have a specific guide or example demonstrating how to do either of those. Beyond the "Resources" tab of our product page (specifically the user manual UM3109), you could try checking ST's documentation page for the VL53L8CX to see if any of their other resources could be helpful (which is linked to on our page under "Recommended links."

- Patrick

Hi Patrick,

I have been testing this sensor for my application using ESP32 based board and I found that the readings/values of ambient and nb target do not co-relate or give any context to the values of reflect, signal, spad and sigma.

Based on my data I found that

#1 Sigma - is the most reliable feature to filter noise
#2 SPAD - is the most reliable feature to see highly reflective spots
#3 Reflect/Signal - give more reliable data (context) around the reflective spots - usually complementary

But
#4 Ambient - shows the reflective spots but not all the time and not complement other features, does it signify something else? more of environment?
#5 nb_target - what does it even show? this is the most ambiguous feature. There is a option to choose up to 4, does that mean 4 signal are sent per zone? and its filtered based on the best? Does all the other feature's data the values of the best of this 4 or on what basis?

#6 Motion - seems to be 255 for points below the centre row in "one" of the sensor, all the time (I use 4), does it mean a faulty sensor or does that nb target interrupt it? I see non zero motion values for stationary setup and facing the wall so what does this signify?

#7 Status and Sharpener seem useless and doesnt reflect or affect any of the feature above - correct me if am wrong.

I set nb targets as 1 all the time, but even #2 and #3 may not be complementary all the time so does this nb target mechanism play a part here as well? I am just curious on the mechanism behind the values of each of these features so that I can build a comprehensive application.

Does the VL53L5CX give all these features as well? What is difference in terms of these features? These details would give me more insight for my research and application.

Thanks