SparkFun
Micro Proximity Sensor - 20 cm VCNL4040 (Qwiic)
· MPN: SEN-30161
Built around the VCNL4040, this tiny Qwiic Micro breakout provides short-range presence detection for projects where space and weight are tight. It is design...
Built around the VCNL4040, this tiny Qwiic Micro breakout provides short-range presence detection for projects where space and weight are tight. It is designed for qualitative sensing: detecting whether an object is present within range and whether it is getting closer or moving farther away, rather than reporting a precise millimetre distance.
The board keeps the interface streamlined for its compact size. Only the VCNL4040 interrupt pin is broken out, while power and all other signals are routed through the Qwiic connector. It can detect right up to the sensor face, avoiding the blind zone found on many older proximity sensors.
Alongside proximity sensing, the VCNL4040 includes an ambient light sensor for measuring lux and environmental lighting conditions. It suits applications such as touchless controls, gesture or collision detection, screen brightness adjustment, and automatic lighting.
Connection is via the Qwiic Connect System, so no soldering is required for compatible setups. SparkFun documentation and software support includes a schematic, KiCad files, hookup guide, VCNL4040 datasheet, Arduino Library and Python Package, and the board is compatible with OpenLog Artemis and DataLogger systems for no-code logging.
Features:
- Infrared Emitter (IRED): Integrated infrared emitter for proximity sensing.
- Proximity Sensor (PS): Detects object presence and relative movement within range.
- Ambient Light Sensor (ALS): Measures lux and environmental lighting conditions.
- Qwiic Connect System: No soldering is required to connect the Micro VCNL4040 board to the rest of your system.
- No-code logging: Compatible with SparkFun OpenLog Artemis and DataLogger systems for automatic detection, scanning, configuration and logging.
- Qwiic daisy-chain use: Works alongside the Qwiic Multiport or at the end of a Qwiic daisy chain.
Specifications:
- Range: ~0cm to 20cm (Qualitative detection)
- Dead Zone: None (Reads up to the sensor face)
- Operating Voltage: 3.3V
- I2C Address: 0x60 (Fixed)*
- Qwiic Micro Form Factor: 0.75in x 0.30in
- Qwiic Connector: 1x Qwiic Connector
- Dimensions: 0.75in. by 0.30in. (or 24.65mm by 7.62mm)
- Technical Note: The I2C address of the VCNL4040 is hardware-defined. To use multiple sensors on a single bus, you will need a multiplexer like the Qwiic Mux Breakout.
Please note this board has only a single Qwiic connector, making it best suited to compact builds, use with a Qwiic Multiport, or the end of a Qwiic chain.
Jargon buster
Plain-language definitions for the technical terms used above.
- Ambient light sensor
- A sensor that measures the general brightness of light falling on it, similar to how a device can adjust screen brightness automatically. It matters when you want a project to react to room lighting, daylight, shadows, or covered/uncovered conditions.
- breakout
- A breakout is a small circuit board that makes a tiny or hard-to-solder component easier to connect to with standard pins. It matters because this OLED module can be wired into a microcontroller project without needing to solder directly to the display’s fine contacts.
- Daisy chain
- A wiring layout where devices are connected one after another in a line. It matters because long or awkward chains can make projects messy or less convenient, while a hub lets several devices branch out from one point.
- I2C
- I2C is a two-wire communication bus used by many sensors and small modules. It matters because several I2C devices can share the same two wires, but each device needs a compatible address and your controller must support I2C.
- I2C address
- An I2C address is the number a device uses so a microcontroller can tell it apart from other devices on the same I2C bus. It matters because two devices with the same fixed address may conflict if used together.
- lux
- Lux is the standard unit for measuring how much light falls on a surface, similar to how a light meter reports brightness. A sensor that outputs lux gives readings that are easier to compare between rooms, outdoor conditions, and different projects.
- multiplexer
- A multiplexer is a chip or board that lets one controller switch between several devices that would otherwise conflict on the same bus. It matters here because multiple modules with the same I2C address cannot normally share one I2C bus without extra hardware.
- Proximity sensor
- A sensor that detects when an object is nearby without needing physical contact. For this product it matters because the useful detection range is short, up to about 200 mm, so it suits touch-free triggers and close object detection rather than long-distance measuring.
- Qwiic
- Qwiic is a plug-in connector system for I2C devices that uses small 4-pin cables, so you can connect compatible sensors without soldering. It matters because your controller or adapter also needs Qwiic, or you will need a cable or breakout to wire it up.
Find this product in
VCNL4040 Micro Proximity Sensor Schematic
Schematic · 25.8 KB · Click any page to view full size
VCNL4040 Sensor Datasheet
Datasheet · 394.4 KB · Click any page to view full size
Supplier page — sparkfun.com
Supplier Description · 1.2 MB · Click any page to view full size
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