Light Sensors

This page covers a variety of light sensors, most of which are either single-channel or three- or four-channel sensors (RGB or RGBC). There are also a few specialty sensors, like the MAX30105 sensor which can be used for pulse oximetry or the APDS-9960 sensor which can measure RGB as well as sensing gesture and proximity. There is a separate page for multi-channel spectral sensors.

Luminosity Sensors

TSL2591 - Light levels, visible & IR

RGB Sensors

ISL29125 - RGB with IR blocking filter

RGBC Sensors

TCS34725 - 4-channel, red, green, blue, clear

APDS9960 - RGB and gesture

Specialty Sensors

MAX30105 - red, IR, green, for pulse oximetry and particle detection

Discontinued Sensors

GA1AS202L - ambient light

APDS9301 - ambient light sensor

Sparkfun breakout board part is retired
Sparkfun library part is retired Datasheet

Background Reading

Rune Madsen’s Programming Design Systems book is a great intro to visual design and programming and his chapters on color are a helpful intro to color theory for understanding sensors and LED color mixing:
- A Short History of Color Theory
- Color Models and Color Spaces
A pretty good introduction to colorimetry
A quick introduction to Melanopic Equivalent Daylight Illuminace (EDI)
CIE Position Statement on Non-Visual Effects of Light
User Guide to the α-opic Toolbox for implementing CIE S 026
Userguide to the Equivalent Daylight (D65) Illuminance Toolbox
White paper from AMS: Chip-scale spectral sensing: understanding the new uses for ultra-precise light-source measurement
AMS Application Note: DN40-Rev 1.0 – Lux and CCT Calculations using ams Color Sensors
Accurate method for computing correlated color temperature
Correlated Color Temperature Determination for LED Modules Using a Digital Color Sensor
Calculate CIE 1931 xy coordinates from color temperature
An interesting discussion on the CCT calculation in the Adafruit TCS34725 library