Background suppression improves human proximity detection

The 10x20x12.7mm proximity sensors' performance is not affected by changing light conditions or bright daylight measuring up to 30,000lux at the sensor's surface. The timing of the signals can be adjusted so that the beam frequency of each adjacent sensor will not interfere with the other. For adjacent use or energy saving, Panasonic also offers a version with external trigger input.

"The sensor emits a ray of light towards a human body and determines whether the person is within a given distance," said Alexander Hoch, Team Leader, Product Marketing Department, Panasonic. "If the sensor detects a person, it sets an output transistor to ON. MA Motion series proximity sensors are cost-effective yet offer high performance levels, suiting them to a wide range of industrial and consumer applications including: the detection of the presence of someone in front of machines, at automatic doors or in security gates; turning on lights when people enter public spaces or businesses; turning off faucets when people leave; counting people; and as non-contact switches for hygiene and medical applications."

Thin MA Motion proximity switches feature a detection distance of 5 to 200cm and are available with NPN and PNP output trans./versionsin PNP or NPN open collector versions. They operate from 4.5 to 5.5VDC or in a wilder voltage version from 5.5 to 27VDC.