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LED Light Level measurements — Parallax Forums

LED Light Level measurements

ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
edited 2002-07-01 14:02 in General Discussion
I have a project where I need to accurately measure the light levels
from a bank of red LED's. The requirements is to(using the reading)
adjust several groups to the same light levels for common camera
illumination levels.

I plan on taking a light level reading using ??? some type of
detector, pass it through a TLC548 8 bit serial A/d converter and
display the results on a serial LCD screen. Similar to gas detect
project in John Iovine's book.

My question is what type of
photo- sensor/detector/resistor/diode/transistor????? would be best
for reading red LED levels. if additional amplifiers are required
please help with that as well.

Comments

  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2002-06-29 01:34
    The Taos light-to-frequency sensor chips are exceptionally easy to
    use with the Stamp. You can download the data sheet and lots of
    application notes directly from Parallax:

    http://www.parallaxinc.com/html_files/partners/taos.htm

    Another approach is to use a photodiode directly with the RCtime
    command. I used that in the earth measurements course:

    http://www.emesys.com/EarthM/em4.pdf
    "This lesson explains a photodiode as a linear light detector, and
    uses it to explore the huge range of light in the environment. The
    lesson gets into the math of sensor calibration. The data is logged
    into memory, and means are provided to record several data points and
    to play them back later."

    The same LED could be used as the photodiode, to receive the specific
    light wavelength emitted by your array.

    -- best regards
    Thomas Tracy Allen PhD
    electronically monitored ecosystems
    http://www.emesystems.com
    mailto:tracy@e...


    >I have a project where I need to accurately measure the light levels
    >from a bank of red LED's. The requirements is to(using the reading)
    >adjust several groups to the same light levels for common camera
    >illumination levels.
    >
    >I plan on taking a light level reading using ??? some type of
    >detector, pass it through a TLC548 8 bit serial A/d converter and
    >display the results on a serial LCD screen. Similar to gas detect
    >project in John Iovine's book.
    >
    >My question is what type of
    >photo- sensor/detector/resistor/diode/transistor????? would be best
    >for reading red LED levels. if additional amplifiers are required
    >please help with that as well.
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2002-06-29 17:34
    Thanks for the info.
    Any idea where I could find the Taos chip.
    Newark, Digikey, Allied don't carry them (no search found on their
    websites).

    Original Message
    From: Tracy Allen [noparse]/noparse]mailto:[url=http://forums.parallaxinc.com/group/basicstamps/post?postID=YMA3MCgZfv4rmAg_HcdP33e_cr36aw969G4rrnjntjtCTJ7iD-R6zrxHfjZFWwpZuPwTdz74GF74keJBK9Ye]tracy@e...[/url
    Sent: Friday, June 28, 2002 8:34 PM
    To: basicstamps@yahoogroups.com
    Subject: Re: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] LED Light Level measurements

    The Taos light-to-frequency sensor chips are exceptionally easy to
    use with the Stamp. You can download the data sheet and lots of
    application notes directly from Parallax:

    http://www.parallaxinc.com/html_files/partners/taos.htm

    Another approach is to use a photodiode directly with the RCtime
    command. I used that in the earth measurements course:

    http://www.emesys.com/EarthM/em4.pdf
    "This lesson explains a photodiode as a linear light detector, and
    uses it to explore the huge range of light in the environment. The
    lesson gets into the math of sensor calibration. The data is logged
    into memory, and means are provided to record several data points and
    to play them back later."

    The same LED could be used as the photodiode, to receive the specific
    light wavelength emitted by your array.

    -- best regards
    Thomas Tracy Allen PhD
    electronically monitored ecosystems
    http://www.emesystems.com
    mailto:tracy@e...


    >I have a project where I need to accurately measure the light levels
    >from a bank of red LED's. The requirements is to(using the reading)
    >adjust several groups to the same light levels for common camera
    >illumination levels.
    >
    >I plan on taking a light level reading using ??? some type of
    >detector, pass it through a TLC548 8 bit serial A/d converter and
    >display the results on a serial LCD screen. Similar to gas detect
    >project in John Iovine's book.
    >
    >My question is what type of
    >photo- sensor/detector/resistor/diode/transistor????? would be best
    >for reading red LED levels. if additional amplifiers are required
    >please help with that as well.

    To UNSUBSCRIBE, just send mail to:
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    [noparse][[/noparse]Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2002-06-29 20:28
    Oh, I thought Parallax carried the TSL230, but I don't see it now. Try FAI:
    <http://www.future-active.com/>
    You might have to buy 10.


    >Thanks for the info.
    >Any idea where I could find the Taos chip.
    >Newark, Digikey, Allied don't carry them (no search found on their
    >websites).
    >
    >
    Original Message
    >From: Tracy Allen [noparse]/noparse]mailto:[url=http://forums.parallaxinc.com/group/basicstamps/post?postID=qL2_9OyjtToYR6Qtow-ensylvkmNTRcqztSZIGZFmofcmXPpBZeGr0g2UfyLyqEncvS4PKT_o45N2A]tracy@e...[/url
    >Sent: Friday, June 28, 2002 8:34 PM
    >To: basicstamps@yahoogroups.com
    >Subject: Re: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] LED Light Level measurements
    >
    >The Taos light-to-frequency sensor chips are exceptionally easy to
    >use with the Stamp. You can download the data sheet and lots of
    >application notes directly from Parallax:
    >
    > http://www.parallaxinc.com/html_files/partners/taos.htm
    >
    >Another approach is to use a photodiode directly with the RCtime
    >command. I used that in the earth measurements course:
    >
    > http://www.emesys.com/EarthM/em4.pdf
    > "This lesson explains a photodiode as a linear light detector, and
    >uses it to explore the huge range of light in the environment. The
    >lesson gets into the math of sensor calibration. The data is logged
    >into memory, and means are provided to record several data points and
    >to play them back later."
    >
    >The same LED could be used as the photodiode, to receive the specific
    >light wavelength emitted by your array.
    >
    > -- best regards
    > Thomas Tracy Allen PhD
    > electronically monitored ecosystems
    > http://www.emesystems.com
    > mailto:tracy@e...
    >
    >
    > >I have a project where I need to accurately measure the light levels
    > >from a bank of red LED's. The requirements is to(using the reading)
    > >adjust several groups to the same light levels for common camera
    > >illumination levels.
    > >
    > >I plan on taking a light level reading using ??? some type of
    > >detector, pass it through a TLC548 8 bit serial A/d converter and
    > >display the results on a serial LCD screen. Similar to gas detect
    > >project in John Iovine's book.
    > >
    > >My question is what type of
    > >photo- sensor/detector/resistor/diode/transistor????? would be best
    > >for reading red LED levels. if additional amplifiers are required
    > >please help with that as well.
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2002-06-29 22:20
    >I have a project where I need to accurately measure the light levels
    >from a bank of red LED's. The requirements is to(using the reading)
    >adjust several groups to the same light levels for common camera
    >illumination levels.

    One thing to think about here is how you will collect the light from
    the LEDs. If they are being used for illumination to take photos, you
    want to locate the sensor at the camera's lens position, and as far
    as possible collect light over the same solid angle that the lens is
    imaging.

    It may also be desirable to use a red filter over the sensor to help
    mask out ambient light during the measurement. If you can obtain a
    curve showing the wavelengths the target system is sensitive to, this
    would help in selecting a filter.

    Reg
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2002-07-01 14:02
    Thanks Tracy I found them late Saturday. Your right about buying 10.

    Original Message
    From: Tracy Allen [noparse]/noparse]mailto:[url=http://forums.parallaxinc.com/group/basicstamps/post?postID=AB9R8ZFYr0dF7CSM8RLnQOfALiXemTCAn58iIoxFBrGw0ibO288wW45wAiqWEnAFiW76mkCz2pb_O5S0]tracy@e...[/url
    Sent: Saturday, June 29, 2002 3:29 PM
    To: basicstamps@yahoogroups.com
    Subject: RE: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] LED Light Level measurements

    Oh, I thought Parallax carried the TSL230, but I don't see it now. Try FAI:
    <http://www.future-active.com/>
    You might have to buy 10.


    >Thanks for the info.
    >Any idea where I could find the Taos chip.
    >Newark, Digikey, Allied don't carry them (no search found on their
    >websites).
    >
    >
    Original Message
    >From: Tracy Allen [noparse]/noparse]mailto:[url=http://forums.parallaxinc.com/group/basicstamps/post?postID=AB9R8ZFYr0dF7CSM8RLnQOfALiXemTCAn58iIoxFBrGw0ibO288wW45wAiqWEnAFiW76mkCz2pb_O5S0]tracy@e...[/url
    >Sent: Friday, June 28, 2002 8:34 PM
    >To: basicstamps@yahoogroups.com
    >Subject: Re: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] LED Light Level measurements
    >
    >The Taos light-to-frequency sensor chips are exceptionally easy to
    >use with the Stamp. You can download the data sheet and lots of
    >application notes directly from Parallax:
    >
    > http://www.parallaxinc.com/html_files/partners/taos.htm
    >
    >Another approach is to use a photodiode directly with the RCtime
    >command. I used that in the earth measurements course:
    >
    > http://www.emesys.com/EarthM/em4.pdf
    > "This lesson explains a photodiode as a linear light detector, and
    >uses it to explore the huge range of light in the environment. The
    >lesson gets into the math of sensor calibration. The data is logged
    >into memory, and means are provided to record several data points and
    >to play them back later."
    >
    >The same LED could be used as the photodiode, to receive the specific
    >light wavelength emitted by your array.
    >
    > -- best regards
    > Thomas Tracy Allen PhD
    > electronically monitored ecosystems
    > http://www.emesystems.com
    > mailto:tracy@e...
    >
    >
    > >I have a project where I need to accurately measure the light levels
    > >from a bank of red LED's. The requirements is to(using the reading)
    > >adjust several groups to the same light levels for common camera
    > >illumination levels.
    > >
    > >I plan on taking a light level reading using ??? some type of
    > >detector, pass it through a TLC548 8 bit serial A/d converter and
    > >display the results on a serial LCD screen. Similar to gas detect
    > >project in John Iovine's book.
    > >
    > >My question is what type of
    > >photo- sensor/detector/resistor/diode/transistor????? would be best
    > >for reading red LED levels. if additional amplifiers are required
    > >please help with that as well.


    To UNSUBSCRIBE, just send mail to:
    basicstamps-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
    from the same email address that you subscribed. Text in the Subject and
    Body of the message will be ignored.


    Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/



    [noparse][[/noparse]Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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