STMicro has launched a touchless controls set for simple, low cost gesture-based controls in industrial and consumer applications. The FlightSense software enables low-power, low-cost gesture sensing.

The solution is free engineering software that can be used with ST’s VL53L5CX FlightSense time-of-flight (ToF) multizone ranging sensor. Together, the sensor and software calculate in real-time the X/Y/Z coordinates of the hand, enabling hand tracking and thus recognition of gestures like tapping, swiping, level control, and more.

According to STMicro, the gesture algorithm can run on a low-power microcontroller, demands minimal system resources, and is designed to be easily integrated in an existing application.

Conventional gesture-recognition systems typically use more expensive and intrusive camera-based machine vision. ST’s solution is designed to allow designers to build systems that reduce power consumption, improve user privacy and can be used in the dark or low light without requiring external illumination.

“Current trends are driving so-called edge devices to become more affordable and energy efficient, as well as more advanced and powerful,” said Eric Aussedat, ST’s Executive VP, Imaging Sub-Group General Manager. “ST is setting the pace with technologies such as our FlightSense imaging product portfolio, which now adds free and ready-to-use software that helps integrate gesture sensing for touchless control in all kinds of consumer and industrial equipment.”

The STSW-IMG035 software package is particularly designed for the VL53L5CX multi-zone direct time-of-flight (dToF) ranging sensor and can be used with all STM32* microcontrollers. The VL53L5CX is ST’s latest-generation ToF sensor, providing 64 zones with high-accuracy ranging up to 400cm with a wide, square-edged 63°-diagonal field of view.