Vishay Intertechnology launches proximity sensor for wearables

Vishay Intertechnology has introduced the VCNL36829UM, a fully integrated, short-distance proximity sensor designed for battery-powered consumer devices. The sensor features a VCSEL, a photodiode, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), and a 16-bit ADC, all housed in a compact 1.6 mm x 1.0 mm x 0.35 mm transparent mold package.

Targeted at smart wearables such as true wireless stereo (TWS) earphones, virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) headsets, and smart glasses, the device aims to detect whether a user is wearing the equipment. It is also applicable for touchless dispensing and lid-off detection in consumer appliances.

Technical specifications include a 50 mm range, a low idle current of 5 μA, and a typical rated supply voltage of 1.8 V. The sensor includes a smart dual I²C slave address, allowing two sensors to be connected without a multiplexer to reduce costs. Additionally, a programmable interrupt function helps lower system power consumption by reducing continuous communication with the microcontroller.