APDS9960 Sensor

Read proximity, gesture, ambient light, and RGB color data from APDS9960 I2C sensor

Since R2021a

Add-On Required: This feature requires the Simulink Support Package for Arduino Hardware add-on.

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Libraries:
Simulink Support Package for Arduino Hardware / Sensors

Description

The APDS9960 Sensor block detects proximity, provides directional data to decode gesture, and measures ambient and color (RGB) values from the APDS9960 sensor interfaced with Arduino^® hardware with interrupt driven I2C communication. You can acquire data from the APDS9960 I2C sensor using either the polling or the interrupt mode.

Note

For the Interrupt data acquisition mode, place the block in the function call subsystem of the External Interrupt block.

Note

If you are using Arduino Nano 33 BLE Sense hardware, which always includes an embedded sensor, reading data from a breakout board containing APDS9960 sensor is not supported.

Ports

Output

Proximity

Proximity — Proximity data

positive scalar in the range [0, 255]

The block outputs the proximity data as a positive scalar in the range [0, 255], where 0 represents an object that is farthest from the sensor and 255 represents an object that is closest to the sensor.

Dependencies

To enable this port:

• Set Sensor mode to Proximity.

• Set Sensor mode to Proximity, Ambient light and Color.

Data Types: uint8

Gesture

GFIFO_U — Gesture data detected in upward direction

vector

The block outputs the data for gestures in the upward direction detected by the sensor as a 1-by-N vector, where N is the threshold for number of gestures in the upward direction.

Dependencies

To enable this port:

• Set Sensor mode to Gesture.

• Set Sensor mode to Gesture, Ambient light and Color.

Data Types: uint8

GFIFO_D — Gesture data detected in downward direction

vector

The block outputs the data for gestures in the downward direction detected by the sensor as a 1-by-N vector, where N is the threshold for number of gestures in the downward direction.

Dependencies

To enable this port:

• Set Sensor mode to Gesture.

• Set Sensor mode to Gesture, Ambient light and Color.

Data Types: uint8

GFIFO_L — Gesture data detected towards left

vector

The block outputs the data for gestures detected by the sensor towards the left as a 1-by-N vector, where N is the threshold for number of gestures towards the left.

Dependencies

To enable this port:

• Set Sensor mode to Gesture.

• Set Sensor mode to Gesture, Ambient light and Color.

Data Types: uint8

GFIFO_R — Gesture data detected towards right

vector

The block outputs the data for gestures detected by the sensor towards the right as a 1-by-N vector, where N is the threshold for number of gestures towards the right.

Dependencies

To enable this port:

• Set Sensor mode to Gesture.

• Set Sensor mode to Gesture, Ambient light and Color.

Data Types: uint8

Ambient light and Color

Ambient — Ambient light data

positive scalar in the range [0, 65535]

The block outputs the ambient light intensity data as a positive scalar in the range [0, 65535], where 0 represents the lowest ambient light intensity and 65535 represents the highest ambient light intensity.

Dependencies

To enable this port:

• Set Sensor mode to Ambient light and Color.

• Set Sensor mode to Proximity, Ambient light and Color.

• Set Sensor mode to Gesture, Ambient light and Color.

Data Types: uint16

RGB — Color intensity data

vector

The block outputs the color light intensity data as a 3-by-1 vector.

Dependencies

To enable this port:

• Set Sensor mode to Ambient light and Color.

• Set Sensor mode to Proximity, Ambient light and Color.

• Set Sensor mode to Gesture, Ambient light and Color.

Data Types: uint16

Status

Status — Availability of new data at output port

scalar

The block outputs the status of new data availability depending on the Sensor mode that you select, as either a scalar or as a 1-by-2 vector of values 0 and 1.

• 0: Indicates that there is no new data available at the output port of the sensor since the last read cycle.

• 1: Indicates that there is new data available at the output port of the sensor since the last read cycle.

For example, if you select the Sensor mode as Proximity, the block outputs a scalar value at the port. Similarly, if you select the Sensor mode as Proximity, Ambient light and Color, the block outputs a 1-by-2 vector, where, the first element corresponds to the Proximity sensor mode and the later element corresponds to the Ambient light and Colorsensor mode.

This table lists the status output available at the output port depending on the Sensor mode you select.

Sensor Mode	Status Port Outputs
Proximity	Proximity
Gesture	Gesture
Ambient light and Color	Ambient light and Color
Proximity, Ambient light and Color	Proximity Ambient light and Color
Gesture, Ambient light and Color	Gesture Ambient light and Color

Dependencies

To enable this port, select Enable status output.

Data Types: uint8

Parameters

Every APDS9960 IMU Sensor mode has both Basic and Advanced parameters. You can configure the parameters in both the tabs of the Block Parameters dialog box for every sensor mode you select to suit your requirement and functional area.

For example, if you select the Sensor mode as Proximity, Ambient light and Color, both the Basic and Advanced tabs of the Block Parameters dialog box will contain the parameters that are applicable for both the Proximity, Ambient light and Color sensor mode. You can configure the parameters in both the tabs.

Basic

Common

I2C module — I2C communication module

0 (default) | scalar

Specify the I2C module on the Arduino hardware to communicate with sensor peripherals. For more information on the Arduino pin mapping and modules that hardware boards support, see Pin Mapping for Arduino Timer Independent Blocks.

Sensor mode — Type of sensor mode

Proximity (default) | Gesture | Ambient light and Color | Proximity, Ambient light and Color | Gesture, Ambient light and Color

Select the operating mode of the sensor.

Data acquisition mode — Data acquisition mode

Polling (default) | Interrupt

Select the data acquisition mode.

Note

In the Gesture mode, the sensor can acquire data in the Interrupt mode only, with a new gesture input acting as a source of interrupt.

Enable status output — Availability of data at output port

off (default) | on

Select the parameter to enable the Status output port.

Sample time — Interval at which block reads data

0.1 (default) | scalar

Enter the time interval in seconds at which the block reads values from the APDS9960 IMU sensor.

Proximity

Interrupt thresholds [low, high] — Proximity thresholds to generate interrupt

[0, 50] (default) | 1-by-2 vector in the range [0, 255]

Generate an interrupt when the proximity value exceeds above or falls below the high and low interrupt threshold levels, respectively.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter:

• Set Sensor mode to Proximity and Data acquisition mode to Interrupt.

• Set Sensor mode to Proximity, Ambient light and Color and Data acquisition mode to Interrupt.

Interrupt persistence — Control rate of proximity interrupts

2 (default) | positive integer

Assert proximity interrupts only if consecutive proximity values are outside the range specified in the Interrupt thresholds [low, high] parameter. This prevents the block from generating false interrupts. Use this parameter to specify after how many consecutive proximity values outside the interrupt threshold should the block generate a proximity interrupt. For example, when you set this parameter to 2, the block generates an interrupt when two consecutive proximity values are outside the range you set in the Interrupt thresholds [low, high] parameter.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter:

• Set Sensor mode to Proximity and Data acquisition mode toInterrupt.

• Set Sensor mode to Proximity, Ambient light and Color and Data acquisition mode to Interrupt.

Gesture

Enter and exit thresholds [enter, exit] — Gesture thresholds to generate interrupt

[40, 30] (default) | 1-by-2 vector in the range [0, 255]

Set the threshold values to determine the start and end points of a gesture.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter:

• Set Sensor mode to Gesture.

• Set Sensor mode to Gesture, Ambient light and Color.

FIFO threshold for interrupt — Gesture FIFO threshold

4 datasets (default) | 1 dataset | 8 datasets | 16 datasets

Generate a gesture interrupt after the value selected in this parameter is equal to the number of data set available in the FIFO. For example, if you set this parameter is set to 4 datasets, the block generates a gesture interrupt after four data sets are available in the FIFO.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter:

• Set Sensor mode to Gesture.

• Set Sensor mode to Gesture, Ambient light and Color.

Exit persistence — Control rate of gesture exits

1st gesture end (default) | 2nd gesture end | 4th gesture end | 7th gesture end

Assert gesture interrupts only if consecutive gesture values are outside the range specified in the Enter and exit thresholds [enter, exit] parameter. This prevents the block from generating false interrupts. Use this parameter to specify after how many consecutive gesture values outside the interrupt threshold should the block generate a gesture interrupt. For example, when you select 4th gesture end, the block generates an interrupt after four consecutive gesture values are outside the range you set in the Enter and exit thresholds [enter, exit] parameter.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter:

• Set Sensor mode to Gesture.

• Set Sensor mode to Gesture, Ambient light and Color.

Ambient light and Color

Interrupt thresholds [low, high] — Ambient light threshold to generate interrupt

[65535, 0] (default) | 1-by-2 vector in the range [0, 65535]

Generate an interrupt when the ambient light and color intensity data exceeds or falls below the high and low interrupt threshold levels, respectively.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter:

• Set Sensor mode to Ambient light and Color and Data acquisition mode to Interrupt.

• Set Sensor mode toProximity, Ambient light and Color and Data acquisition mode to Interrupt, and Interrupt source to Ambient light and Color.

Interrupt persistence — Control rate of ambient light and color interrupts

2 (default) | positive scalar

Assert ambient light and color interrupts to the sensor only if the consecutive out of Interrupt thresholds [low, high] values is equal to or greater than the value set in this parameter. This prevents the block from generating false interrupts. For example, when you set this parameter to 2, the block generates an interrupt when two consecutive ambient light and color values are outside the range you set in the Interrupt thresholds [low, high] parameter.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter:

• Set Sensor mode to Ambient light and Color and Data acquisition mode to Interrupt.

• Set Sensor mode to Proximity, Ambient light and Color and Data acquisition mode to Interrupt, and Interrupt source as Ambient light and Color.

Proximity, Ambient light and Color

Interrupt source — Source of interrupt

Proximity (default) | Ambient light and Color

Select the source of interrupt for the sensor.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, set Sensor mode to Proximity, Ambient light and Color, and Data acquisition mode to Interrupt.

Advanced

Proximity

Gain — Proximity gain control

4x (default) | 1x | 2x | 8x

Select gain for the proximity data value.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter:

• Set Sensor mode to Proximity.

• Set Sensor mode to Proximity, Ambient light and Color.

Pulse length — Time period of each proximity pulse length

16 μs (default) | 4 μs | 8 μs | 32 μs

Select the ON time of each pulse in the IR LED emitted pulse train.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter:

• Set Sensor mode to Proximity.

• Set Sensor mode to Proximity, Ambient light and Color.

Pulse count — Number of proximity pulses generated by LDR

8 (default) | positive scalar in the range [1 to 64]

Specify the number of pulses that the light-dependent resistor (LDR) should generate. The number of pulses that the LDR generates is the pulse count value plus one. For example, if you set the pulse count value to 8, the LDR generates nine pulses.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter:

• Set Sensor mode to Proximity.

• Set Sensor mode to Proximity, Ambient light and Color.

Offsets [UR, DL] — Proximity offsets for up-right and down-left photodiodes

[0, 0] (default) | 1-by-2 vector in the range [255, 255]

Set a scalable internal offset correction factor for the up-right and down-left photodiode pairs.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter:

• Set Sensor mode to Proximity.

• Set Sensor mode to Proximity, Ambient light and Color.

Proximity, Ambient light and Color

LED drive strength — Control intensity of LED IR emission

100 mA (default) | 50 mA | 25 mA | 12.5 mA

Select current levels for the LED IR emission to control the intensity levels.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter:

• Set Sensor mode to Proximity.

• Set Sensor mode to Proximity, Ambient light and Color.

Proximity and Gesture

LED boost current — Additional intensity boost for LED IR emission

100% (default) | 150% | 200% | 300%

Specify additional current boost levels for the LED IR emission to detect long-range devices.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter:

• Set Sensor mode to Proximity.

• Set Sensor mode to Gesture.

• Set Sensor mode to Proximity, Ambient light and Color.

Gesture

Offsets [U, D, L, R] — Gesture offsets for up, down, left, and right photodiodes

[0, 0, 0, 0] (default) | 1-by-4 vector [255, 255, 255, 255]

Set a scalable internal offset correction factor for the up, down, left, and right photodiodes.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter:

• Set Sensor mode to Gesture.

• Set Sensor mode to Gesture, Ambient light and Color.

LED drive strength — Control intensity of LED IR emission

100 mA (default) | 50 mA | 25 mA | 12.5 mA

Select current levels for the LED IR emission to control the intensity levels.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter:

• Set Sensor mode to Gesture.

• Set Sensor mode to Gesture, Ambient light and Color.

Gain — Gesture gain control

4x (default) | 1x | 2x | 8x

Select gain for the gesture data value.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter:

• Set Sensor mode to Gesture.

• Set Sensor mode to Gesture, Ambient light and Color.

Pulse length — Time period of each gesture pulse length

32 μs (default) | 4 μs | 8 μs | 16 μs

Select the ON time of each pulse in the IR LED emitted pulse train.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter,

• Set Sensor mode as Gesture.

• Set Sensor mode as Gesture, Ambient light and Color.

Pulse count — Number of gesture pulses generated by LDR

10 (default) | positive scalar

Specify the number of pulses that the light-dependent resister (LDR) should generate. The number of pulses that the LDR generates is the pulse count value plus one. For example, if you set the pulse count value 10, the LDR generates 11 pulses.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter:

• Set Sensor mode to Gesture.

• Set Sensor mode to Gesture, Ambient light and Color.

Wait time — Time between gesture detection cycles

2.8 ms (default) | 0 ms | 5.6 ms | 8.4 ms | 14 ms | 22.4 ms | 30.8 ms | 39.2 ms

Delay pulse train repetition by selecting a gesture waiting time. This parameter controls the amount of time the sensor spends in a low-power mode between the gesture detection cycles. Include a wait time to reduce power consumption by the sensor and to make data acquisition more efficient.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter:

• Set Sensor mode to Gesture.

• Set Sensor mode to Gesture, Ambient light and Color.

Ambient light and Color

Gain — Ambient light and color gain control

4x (default) | 1x | 16x | 64x

Select gain for the ambient light and color data value.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter:

• Set Sensor mode to Ambient light and Color.

• Set Sensor mode to Proximity, Ambient light and Color.

• Set Sensor mode to Gesture, Ambient light and Color.

ADC integration time (ms) — Control integration time of ambient light and color analog to digital converters

219 (default) | positive scalar

Use this parameter to specify the time for data from the color and ambient light photodiodes to accumulate.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter:

• Set Sensor mode to Ambient light and Color.

• Set Sensor mode to Proximity, Ambient light and Color.

• Set Sensor mode to Gesture, Ambient light and Color.

Enable wait before Ambient light sensing — Activate wait feature before the sensor starts reading ambient light and color

off (default) | on

Activate wait feature before the sensor begins reading ambient light and color.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter:

• Set Sensor mode to Ambient light and Color.

• Set Sensor mode to Proximity, Ambient light and Color.

• Set Sensor mode to Gesture, Ambient light and Color.

Wait time (ms) — Waiting time before sensor starts reading ambient light and color

246 (default) | positive scalar

Enter the wait time before the sensor begins reading ambient light and color.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, select Enable wait before Ambient light sensing.

Enable wait long (12x) — Increase wait time by 12x

off (default) | on

Enable the parameter to increase the wait time set in the Wait time (ms) parameter by a factor of 12x.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter:

• Set Sensor mode to Ambient light and Color.

• Set Sensor mode to Proximity, Ambient light and Color.

• Set Sensor mode to Gesture, Ambient light and Color.

Version History

Introduced in R2021a