I²C True Colours Smart Sensor smartColours

The smartColours sensor is an elaborate colour sensor with its own built-in micro-controller for pre-processing. 

It acquires colour through 4 channels, red, green, blue and clear, processes the data and identifies the colour among those previously memorised. Memorised colours can be saved on Flash memory for later reuse.

This sensor is self-reliant because is packs its own 16-bit micro-controller. There's no need for calibration, white balance, offset or gain settings. The micro-controller uses advanced algorithms to acquire the measures, process them and identify or recognise the colour. 

Device

• Manufacturer:  Rei Vilo   
  
• Break-out provider: 
  
• Specification sheet: 
  
• I²C address: 0x14
  

• Caution
Before using this device, please read the specification sheet carefully and check the voltage requirements.

Standard Usage

Procedure

The sensor comes calibrated and ready-to-use with memorised colours for blue=1, red=2 and white=3 cylinders and empty=0.

1. Start with smrtClrs_begin to initialise the sensor.
   
2. Call smrtClrs_load to load previously saved colours.
   
3. Call smrtClrs_guess to identify a colour.
   
4. Repeat step 3. as many time as needed.

Functions

smCol_begin   initialise the sensor and set default calibration

• Input: None
  
• Output: None
  

smCol_load   load and copy the memorised colours from Flash into RAM

• Input: None
  
• Output: None

smCol_guess   read and guess a colour

• Input: None
  
• Output 1: colour number 8-bit 0x00∼0x0f, integer
  
• Output 2: 8-bit quality index 0x00∼0xff, smaller is better, >100 means low level of confidence, integer

First Time Usage 

Procedure

Although the sensor comes ready-to-use with memorised colours for blue=1, red=2 and white=3 cylinders and empty=0, you may need to adapt those calibrated values to your specific environment.

1. Start with smrtClrs_begin to initialise the sensor.
   
2. Call smrtClrs_reset to clear everything. 
   
3. Present one colour at a time and call smrtClrs_memorise with a number from 0 to 15 to memorise the colour.
   
4. To test the colours, present each of the previously memorised colours and call smrtClrs_guess. 
   
5. If the colours are correctly identified, call smrtClrs_save to save the memorised colours to flash for later normal usage.
6. Otherwise, change the calibration with smrtClrs_calibrate and 1, 2 or 3 and proceed with step 3. again.

The enclosed RoboPro program provides a graphic interface for the first time usage.

Once completed, proceed as described on the Standard Usage chapter.

Functions

smCol_begin   initialise the sensor and set default calibration 

• Input: None
  
• Output: None
  

smCol_reset   reset to default and erase all memorised colours on RAM

• Input: None
  
• Output: None

smCol_memorise   memorise a colour on RAM

• Input: colour number 8-bit 0x00∼0x0f, integer
  
• Output: None
  

smCol_guess   read and guess a colour

• Input: None
  
• Output 1: colour number 8-bit 0x00∼0x0f, Integer
  
• Output 2: 8-bit quality index 0x00∼0xff, smaller is better, >100 means error, Integer

smCol_save   save and copy the memorised colours from RAM to Flash for later re-use

• Input: None
  
• Output: None
  

Optional Usage

Procedure

Those functions increase the usage of the sensor.

If colour recognition is poor or quality index often close to 100% or even higher, increase the calibration with smCol_calibrate and mode=1.

To test a colour, use smCol_working to read and provide the red-green-blue-clear components of the colour.

Functions

smCol_calibrate   set the calibration mode

• Input: 1, 2=default or 3, integer
  
• Output: None
  

smCol_working   read and provide the red-green-blue-clear components of the colour

• Input: None
  
• Output: red channel, green channel, blue channel, clear channel, distance of the colour from nearest, 16-bit integers

smCol_information   get the calibration mode

• Input: None
  
• Output: 1, 2=default or 3, integer
  

smCol_erase   erase a colour

• Input: colour number 8-bit 0x00∼0x0f, integer
  
• Output: None
  

smCol_version   provide the version number

• Input: None
  
• Output: version number, 16 bits, with MSB=major and LSB=minor, 16-bit integer

smCol_provide   provide the red-green-blue-clear components of a memorised colour

• Input: number of the memorised colour, integer
• Output: red channel, green channel, blue channel, clear channel, distance of the colour from nearest, 16-bit integers

Download

Download the driver with an example for RoboPro.     

This file is under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.