pololu / vl53l0x-arduino

Pololu Arduino library for VL53L0X time-of-flight distance sensor
https://www.pololu.com/product/2490
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VL53L0X library for Arduino

www.pololu.com

Summary

This is a library for the Arduino IDE that helps interface with ST's VL53L0X time-of-flight distance sensor. The library makes it simple to configure the sensor and read range data from it via I²C.

Supported platforms

This library is designed to work with the Arduino IDE versions 1.6.x or later; we have not tested it with earlier versions. This library should support any Arduino-compatible board, including the Pololu A-Star 32U4 controllers.

Getting started

Hardware

A VL53L0X carrier can be purchased from Pololu's website. Before continuing, careful reading of the product page as well as the VL53L0X datasheet is recommended.

Make the following connections between the Arduino and the VL53L0X board:

5V Arduino boards

(including Arduino Uno, Leonardo, Mega; Pololu A-Star 32U4)

Arduino   VL53L0X board
-------   -------------
     5V - VIN
    GND - GND
    SDA - SDA
    SCL - SCL

3.3V Arduino boards

(including Arduino Due)

Arduino   VL53L0X board
-------   -------------
    3V3 - VIN
    GND - GND
    SDA - SDA
    SCL - SCL

Software

If you are using version 1.6.2 or later of the Arduino software (IDE), you can use the Library Manager to install this library:

  1. In the Arduino IDE, open the "Sketch" menu, select "Include Library", then "Manage Libraries...".
  2. Search for "VL53L0X".
  3. Click the VL53L0X entry in the list.
  4. Click "Install".

If this does not work, you can manually install the library:

  1. Download the latest release archive from GitHub and decompress it.
  2. Rename the folder "vl53l0x-arduino-master" to "VL53L0X".
  3. Move the "VL53L0X" folder into the "libraries" directory inside your Arduino sketchbook directory. You can view your sketchbook location by opening the "File" menu and selecting "Preferences" in the Arduino IDE. If there is not already a "libraries" folder in that location, you should make the folder yourself.
  4. After installing the library, restart the Arduino IDE.

Examples

Several example sketches are available that show how to use the library. You can access them from the Arduino IDE by opening the "File" menu, selecting "Examples", and then selecting "VL53L0X". If you cannot find these examples, the library was probably installed incorrectly and you should retry the installation instructions above.

ST's VL53L0X API and this library

Most of the functionality of this library is based on the VL53L0X API provided by ST (STSW-IMG005), and some of the explanatory comments in the code are quoted or paraphrased from the API source code, API user manual (UM2039), and the VL53L0X datasheet. For more explanation about the library code and how it was derived from the API, see the comments in VL53L0X.cpp.

This library is intended to provide a quicker and easier way to get started using the VL53L0X with an Arduino-compatible controller, in contrast to customizing and compiling ST's API for the Arduino. The library has a more streamlined interface, as well as smaller storage and memory footprints. However, it does not implement some of the more advanced functionality available in the API (for example, calibrating the sensor to work well under a cover glass), and it has less robust error checking. For advanced applications, especially when storage and memory are less of an issue, consider using the VL53L0X API directly.

Library reference

Version history