Silicon Laboratories has launched IR (infra red) and ambient light sensors in a 2x2mm package for human interface applications. The sensors enable proximity sensing and touchless interfaces for handsets, e-readers, netbooks, tablets, personal media players, toys, office equipment, industrial controls, security systems, point-of-sale stations, and many other products. The high sensitivity of the modules provide flexibility for developers to locate IR sensors behind semi-opaque product overlays. The IR sensing architecture operates in direct sunlight and includes an ambient light sensor capable of sensing light levels up to 128 klux. The modules include sensor options with up to three infrared LED drivers. This allows developers to implement one-dimensional human interface systems with a detection range of more than 50omm. The Si1142 with two infrared LED drivers supports z- and x-axis motion sensing for touchless slider interfaces. The Si1143 with three IR LED drivers enables 3D motion sensing for multi-dimensional touchless control. The sensors when coupled with the company's capacitive touch-sense microcontroller enable a wide range of motion and gesture detection. The sensing modes provide information to the microcontroller to determine the background light e.g. sunlight, fluorescent or incandescent.
