Arduino Due and VEML6040 color sensor example

VEML6040 color sensor senses red, green, blue, and white light and incorporates photodiodes, amplifiers, and analog / digital circuits into a single chip using CMOS process.

With the color sensor applied, the brightness, and color temperature of backlight can be adjusted base on ambient light source that makes panel looks more comfortable for end user’s eyes. VEML6040’s adoption of FiltronTM technology achieves the closest ambient light spectral sensitivity to real human eye responses.

VEML6040 provides excellent temperature compensation capability for keeping the output stable under changing temperature. VEML6040’s function are easily operated via the simple command format of I2C (SMBus compatible) interface protocol. VEML6040’s operating voltage ranges from 2.5 V to 3.6 V.

Parts List

Name	Link
Arduino Due	Black Due R3 Board DUE-CH340 ATSAM3X8E ARM Main Control Board with 50cm USB Cable CH340G for arduino
VEML6040	WAVGAT 3.3V I2C Digital RGBW Color Sensor VEML6040 Breakout For Arduino
Connecting wire	Free shipping Dupont line 120pcs 20cm male to male + male to female and female to female jumper wire

Connection

Arduino Due	VEML6040 module
3v3	Vin
Gnd	Gnd
SCA – 20	SCA
SCL – 21	SCL

Code

Again we use a library – https://github.com/thewknd/VEML6040

This example worked just fine

[codesyntax lang=”cpp”]

#include “Wire.h”
#include “veml6040.h”

VEML6040 RGBWSensor;

void setup() {
Serial.begin(9600);
Wire.begin();
if(!RGBWSensor.begin()) {
Serial.println(“ERROR: couldn’t detect the sensor”);
while(1){}
}

/*
* init RGBW sensor with:
* – 320ms integration time
* – auto mode
* – color sensor enable
*/

RGBWSensor.setConfiguration(VEML6040_IT_320MS + VEML6040_AF_AUTO + VEML6040_SD_ENABLE);

delay(1500);
Serial.println(“Vishay VEML6040 RGBW color sensor auto mode example”);
Serial.println(“CCT: Correlated color temperature in \260K”);
Serial.println(“AL: Ambient light in lux”);
delay(1500);
}

void loop() {
Serial.print(“RED: “);
Serial.print(RGBWSensor.getRed());
Serial.print(” GREEN: “);
Serial.print(RGBWSensor.getGreen());
Serial.print(” BLUE: “);
Serial.print(RGBWSensor.getBlue());
Serial.print(” WHITE: “);
Serial.print(RGBWSensor.getWhite());
Serial.print(” CCT: “);
Serial.print(RGBWSensor.getCCT());
Serial.print(” AL: “);
Serial.println(RGBWSensor.getAmbientLight());
delay(400);
}

[/cpp]

Output

Open the serial monitor – this is what I saw

Vishay VEML6040 RGBW color sensor auto mode example
CCT: Correlated color temperature in ⸮K
AL: Ambient light in lux
RED: 947 GREEN: 947 BLUE: 947 WHITE: 947 CCT: 10144 AL: 29.79
RED: 949 GREEN: 949 BLUE: 949 WHITE: 949 CCT: 10144 AL: 29.86
RED: 947 GREEN: 947 BLUE: 947 WHITE: 947 CCT: 10144 AL: 29.79
RED: 949 GREEN: 949 BLUE: 949 WHITE: 949 CCT: 10144 AL: 29.86
RED: 949 GREEN: 949 BLUE: 949 WHITE: 949 CCT: 10144 AL: 29.86
RED: 948 GREEN: 948 BLUE: 948 WHITE: 948 CCT: 10144 AL: 29.82