Optical Sensor

Introduction

The V5 Optical Sensor detects the color, brightness, and presence of nearby objects using a combination of an RGB color sensor and proximity sensor. It can also use its built-in LED to illuminate objects for more accurate detection.

Below is a list of available blocks:

• set Optical light – Turns the Optical Sensor’s LED on or off.

• set Optical light power – Sets the power level of the Optical Sensor’s LED.

• Optical found an object – Reports whether the sensor is detecting an object within range.

• Optical detects color – Reports whether the Optical Sensor detects a specified color.

• Optical brightness – Reports the brightness detected by the Optical Sensor.

• Optical hue – Reports the hue detected by the Optical Sensor.

• when Optical – Runs the attached stack of blocks when the Optical Sensor detects or loses an object.

set Optical light

The set Optical light stack block turns the Optical Sensor’s LED on or off. This can help increase the sensor’s accuracy when detecting colors.

  set [Optical1 v] light [on v]

Parameters	Description
device	Which Optical Sensor to use, configured in the Devices window.
state	The state of the Optical Sensor’s light: on or off.

  when started
  [Turn on the sensor's LED.]
  set [Optical1 v] light [on v]

set Optical light power

The set Optical light power stack block sets the brightness of the Optical Sensor’s LED. The light can help the Optical Sensor detect objects and colors more clearly.

A higher percentage makes the light brighter. A lower percentage makes the light dimmer.

If the Optical Sensor’s light is off, setting the light power above 0% will turn the light on.

If the Optical Sensor’s light is on, setting the light power at 0% will turn the light off.

  set [Optical1 v] light power to [50] %

Parameters	Description
device	Which Optical Sensor to use, configured in the Devices window.
brightness	The brightness to set the Optical Sensor’s light to, from 0% to 100%. Use whole numbers.

  when started
  [Turn on the sensor's LED at half brightness.]
  set [Optical1 v] light power to [50] %

Optical found an object

The Optical found an object Boolean block reports whether or not the Optical Sensor detects an object within range.

• True — The Optical Sensor detects an object.

• False — The Optical Sensor does not detect an object.

  <[Optical1 v] found an object?>

Parameters	Description
device	Which Optical Sensor to use, configured in the Devices window.

Example

Drive forward until an object is detected

  when started
  [Drive forward until an object is found.]
  drive [forward v]
  wait until <[Optical1 v] found an object?>
  stop driving

Optical detects color

The Optical detects color Boolean block reports whether the Optical Sensor detects a specified color, based on the detected hue value.

• True – The sensor detects the specified color.

• False – The sensor does not detect the specified color.

Note: The Optical Sensor is looking for hue ranges that match the specified color. For detecting specific hue ranges, see the Optical hue reporter block.

  <[Optical1 v] detects [red v]?>

Parameters	Description
device	Which Optical Sensor to use, configured in the Devices window.
color	Which color to look for: red – A detected hue value between 340° - 20°. green – A detected hue value between 80° - 140°. blue – A detected hue value between 200° - 240°. yellow – A detected hue value between 40° - 60°. orange – A detected hue value between 20° - 40°. purple – A detected hue value between 240° - 280°. cyan – A detected hue value between 140° - 200°.

Example

Drive forward until red is detected

  when started
  [Drive forward until red is found.]
  drive [forward v]
  wait until <[Optical1 v] detects [red v]?>
  stop driving

Optical brightness

The Optical brightness reporter block reports how much light is reflected back to the Optical Sensor, as a percentage from 0% to 100%.

A higher percentage means more light is reflected back to the Optical Sensor. A lower percentage means less light is reflected back.

  ([Optical1 v] brightness in %)

Parameters	Description
device	Which Optical Sensor to use, configured in the Devices window.

Optical hue

The Optical hue reporter block reports the hue detected by the Optical Sensor as a number from 0 to 359 degrees.

Hue is a way to describe color using numbers around a color wheel.

  ([Optical1 v] hue in degrees)

Parameters	Description
device	Which Optical Sensor to use, configured in the Devices window.

Example

  when started
  [Look for the color pink using hue.]
  forever
  clear screen
  set cursor to row [1] column [1] on screen
  if <[300] [math_less_than v] ([Optical1 v] hue in degrees) [math_less_than v] [359]> then
    print [This is pink!] on screen ▶
  else
  print [No pink detected!] on screen ▶

when Optical

The when Optical hat block runs the attached stack of blocks whenever the Optical Sensor detects or loses an object.

  when [Optical1 v] [detects v] an object :: hat events

Parameters	Description
device	Which Optical Sensor to use, configured in the Devices window.
state	When the attached stack of blocks will run: detects runs when an undetected object is detected, while loses runs when a detected object is now no longer detected.