Visible Light Spectrum, Temperature Sensors Target IoT

　　Austrian analog chip vendor Ams rolled out two new sensors in the last week to support multiple IoT applications in health and wellness in lighting and smart buildings and the monitoring of temperatures in the cold supply chain.

　　The AS7264N sensor provides precise measurements of biologically influential blue light, while the AS6200C is a digital sensor system providing a digital temperature sensor for temperature control and temperature logging applications.

　　Blue-light sensor

　　The new AS7264N is a tri-stimulus sensor which provides measurements of color that closely match the human eye’s response to the visible light spectrum. The sensor also accurately measures blue-light wavelengths, which researchers have linked to important health effects such as disruption or management of the circadian rhythm, accelerated eye aging and eye strain.

　　The board-mounted sensor allows the implementation of novel light control functions in luminaires, displays, and smart building automation or management systems. By incorporating an AS7264N into their product, lighting and building automation sensing solution manufacturers are able to deliver real-time smart color monitoring to measure and respond to end-users’ exposure to blue light wavelengths.

　　Provided in a compact 4.5mm x 4.7mm x 2.5mm land grid array (LGA) apertured package, the AS7264N’s small size makes it well suited for luminaires and connected sensor packs; it is expected to be used in emerging applications of human-centric lighting and smart building control.

　　The sensor is based on the ams AS72xx product platform which includes a family of light and color sensors from near-UV to near-IR for spectral and lighting applications. The family’s tri-stimulus color sensors use unique on-wafer silicon interference filters to create individual spectral channels matching the characteristics of the XYZ standard observer model as specified by the CIE 1931 standard. The AS7264N supplements that with two additional blue light filters, providing the capability to accurately measure the intensity of blue light at both the 440nm and 490nm wavelengths.

　　It provides easy-to-use digital color measurement outputs over an I2C interface. The device’s silicon interference filters, which feature minimal drift over time and temperature, enable lifetime end-device calibration. Programmable on-chip LED drivers enable direct control of synchronized electronic shutter functionality.

　　“With true color sensing and precise spectral measurements at wavelengths with active photobiological influence, the AS7264N serves a wide range of applications including ambient light characterization and light exposure data collection for commercial, residential, and industrial lighting applications. This solution will help manufacturers get to market quickly with applications that address the interaction between light and human health,” said Tom Griffiths, senior marketing manager for lighting and spectral sensors at Ams.

　　The AS7264N is available for sampling. Unit pricing is $4.50 in quantities of 1,000 units. An evaluation board for the AS7264N color sensor is available from the ams ICdirect online store.

　　The AS6200C is a digital temperature sensor IC which offers highly accurate measurements in the temperature range -20°C to +10°C. Aimed at designers of refrigerators and data loggers in cold-chain storage equipment, the IC’s measurements are accurate to ±0.2°C between -20°C and 10°C, the temperature range over which storage equipment for perishable goods operates. The sensor’s accuracy is guaranteed over the device’s supply voltage range of 1.8V to 3.6V.

　　The AS6200C integrates a sensor front end, 12-bit analog-to-digital converter and digital logic in a small WL-CSP package. It provides a digital output over an I2C interface to any host microcontroller. The device performs on-board digital signal processing, which means that it needs no user calibration, and its linearized output requires no compensation by an external microcontroller.

　　In temperature control and temperature logging applications, the total error budget is made up of multiple components. By minimizing the error at the point of measurement, the designer gains extra headroom for other error and noise sources, such as the heat generated by board-mounted components. Hence the accuracy enabled by the AS6200C gives the designer more flexibility to modify other elements of the system design while keeping total error below a specified maximum level.

　　The AS6200C is intended for use in equipment for storing and transporting food, pharmaceuticals, flowers and other perishable goods, as well as in domestic and commercial refrigerators. It is very well suited to data loggers that comply with the EN12830:1999 class 1 standard. It is available in production volumes. Unit pricing is €0.60 in order quantities of 1,000 units. An evaluation board for the AS6200C digital temperature sensor is available from the ams online store.