Ranging sensor detects objects accurately across up to 64 zones

The VL53L8CX from STMicroelectronics, an 8×8 multi-zone ToF sensor, offers high-performance features, including high immunity to interference from ambient light, low power consumption, and an eye-safe invisible optical output at 940nm from a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL). Diffractive optical elements on both transmitter and receiver enable the VL53L8CX to create a square field of view of 45° x 45°, 65° diagonal.

Like previous ST ToF sensors, the VL53L8CX includes firmware running on an integrated microcontroller which produces outputs computed from the raw optical data, such as distance, peak signal amplitude, and reflectance. 

The sensor can calculate the distance of objects up to 4m away, across 64 independent zones, at a rate of up to 60 frames per second. The ST multi-zone sensor with two advanced metasurface lenses offers superior performance to competing sensors that have conventional optics, as they support fewer native zones and feature lower sensitivity in the outer areas of the field of view. The VL53L8CX provides uniform sensitivity and accurate ranging across the field of view, with superior range in strong ambient light. Histogram processing and algorithmic compensation minimize the impact of cover glass crosstalk. 

The sensor includes a motion indicator for each zone to detect whether targets have moved, and how they have moved.