Color Sensor Module TCS3472

🔹 TCS3472 RGB Color Sensor with IR Filter

A digital color light sensor providing red, green, blue (RGB), and clear light sensing through an integrated IR blocking filter. It communicates over I2C and offers high sensitivity and programmable integration time/gain, making it suitable for ambient light sensing, color detection, and display management applications.

✅ Specifications:

• Sensor: TCS3472 (often on a breakout board)

• Interface: I2C (Address: 0x29)

• Supply Voltage: 3.3V – 5V

• Spectral Range: 400–770nm (Visible light)

• Dynamic Range: 3,800,000:1 (programmable)

• Resolution: 16-bit per channel (R, G, B, Clear)

• Integrated Components:

  • IR blocking filter

  • Optional white LED (on some breakout boards)

• Programmable Features:

  • Integration time (2.4ms to 614ms)

  • Gain (1x, 4x, 16x, 60x)

• Interrupt Output: Configurable light threshold detection

• Operating Temperature: -30°C to +70°C

⚙️ Features:

• IR Blocking Filter: Improves color accuracy by reducing infrared light interference.

• Digital I2C Interface: Easy connection to microcontrollers (Arduino, Raspberry Pi, ESP32).

• High Sensitivity: Capable of detecting low-light conditions.

• Programmable Settings: Adjustable gain and integration time for various lighting environments.

• Sunlight Immune: Can operate under diverse lighting conditions.

📦 Typical Applications:

• Ambient Light Sensing: Automatic display brightness adjustment for phones, tablets, and monitors.

• Color Detection & Identification: Basic color sorting, object recognition.

• Light Profiling: Measuring light color temperature for smart LED lighting control.

• DIY Electronics Projects: Color-changing lamps, interactive displays, educational kits.

• Industrial Automation: Simple color verification in manufacturing.

🔧 Basic Connection (Arduino Example):

1. Wiring:

   • VCC → 3.3v – 5V

   • GND → GND

   • SDA → Arduino SDA (A4 on Uno)

   • SCL → Arduino SCL (A5 on Uno)

   • INT → Optional interrupt pin

2. Library: Use the Adafruit TCS34725 library (compatible with TCS3472).

3. Basic Code Skeleton:
   #include <Wire.h>
   #include “Adafruit_TCS34725.h”
   Adafruit_TCS34725 tcs = Adafruit_TCS34725();
   void setup() {
   Serial.begin(9600);
   if (!tcs.begin()) {
   Serial.println(“Sensor error!”);
   while (1);
   }
   }
   void loop() {
   uint16_t r, g, b, c;
   tcs.getRawData(&r, &g, &b, &c);
   // Process or print RGB values
   delay(500);
   }

⚠️ Important Considerations:

• Voltage Compatibility: The TCS3472 IC itself is 3.3V. Many breakout boards include a regulator allowing 3-5V input—check your specific module.

• Lighting Consistency: For reliable color detection, consistent and controlled lighting (preferably using an onboard LED) is crucial.

• Calibration Needed: Raw RGB values vary with light intensity and sensor gain. Meaningful color identification requires calibration and possibly conversion to a standard color space (e.g., HSV).

• I2C Pull-ups: Ensure I2C lines have pull-up resistors (usually present on breakout boards).

• Comparison with TCS34725: The TCS3472 is a lower-cost variant of the TCS34725, with slightly different specifications (e.g., package, interrupt features). For many hobbyist applications, they are functionally similar.