Time-of-Flight (ToF) sensors manufactured by Broadcom's Industrial Fiber Optic Division (IFPD) are fully integrated Class 1 laser eye safety modules incorporating a laser light source, a detector array and signal processing. They are offered in a number of variants suitable for unambiguous operation from 1.5cm to 100m with ambient light suppression of 100kLux.
AFBR-S50 Series ToF modules combine a red or near-infrared (NIR) Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser (VCSEL) with a custom Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) developed specifically for Correlation ToF - also known as Continuous Wave ToF (CW-ToF) or Indirect ToF (i-ToF).
Broadcom ToF modules are optimised for applications requiring high performance with attractive pricing, including:-
- Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) and Guided Vehicles (AGVs)
- HMI proximity sensing
- Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) / Drone
- Pedestrian and traffic control
- Dry material and liquid fill level monitoring
- Stereo camera validation
- Factory Automation and Logistics
The ToF sensors are offered as 5 modules based on a common architecture - each suited to a particular range and field of view (FOV):-
| AFBR-S50MV85G | AFBR-S50LV85D | AFBR-S50LX85D | AFBR-S50MV68B | AFBR-S50MV85I | |
| Operating range | 10mm to 10m | 10mm to 30m | 50mm to 50m | 10mm to 10m | 10mm to 6m |
| Laser wavelength | 850nm (IR) | 850nm (IR) | 850nm (IR) | 680nm (Red) | 850nm (IR) |
| Spot size @ 1m | 7cm dia. | 3.5cm dia. | 3.5cm dia. | 0.7cm dia. | 23 x 10.5 cm² |
| Illuminated Pixels | 7-16 of 32 |
1-2 of 32 |
1-2 of 32 |
1 of 32 |
32 |
| Sensor FOV | 4° x 4° | 2° x 2° | 2° x 2° | 0.4° x 0.4° | 13° x 6° |
| Typical application | Range & direction | Range | Long range | Range w/ visible spot | Collision, void & overhang avoidance |
The video below demonstrates key features and benefits of the AFBR-S50 series sensors when used in UAVs/drones along with examples of other applications:-
Broadcom publish a number of application notes to help users get the most from the modules:-
 |
Application Note: ToF basics |
|
Evaluation kit quick start guide |
|
Software Development Kit release notes |
|
ToF Module reference design |
For information on our range of Time-of-Flight sensor modules please go to the product and support pages using the links or Contact Us.
