Web Site: www.parallax.com Office: (916) 624-8333 Forums: forums.parallax.com Fax: (916) 624-8003 Sales: sales parallax.com Sales: (888) 512-1024 Technical: support parallax.com Tech Support: (888) 997-8267 ColorPAL ( 28380): Color and Ambient Light Sensor and Color Generator General Description The ColorPAL is a miniature color and light sensor which, through its RGB LED, doubles as a color generator. Features Detects a full range of colors and outputs data as RGB (Red/Green/Blue) components. 2 Detects broad-spectrum ambient light with sensitivity down to 44W/cm per lsb. Generates 24-bit color using onboard RGB LED. Plugs into servo headers (with optional cable) or wireless breadboards. Single-pin interface uses a simple serial protocol to define and initiate color detection and generation. Color detection and generation details handled by onboard microcontroller. Onboard EEPROM for saving custom color detection and generation programs. Autorun feature permits running a pre-designated EEPROM program with only a power supply. Out of the Box Whats Included ColorPAL Module What You Need to Provide BASIC Stamp 2 or better and a carrier board, such as Parallaxs Board of Education (BOE). Optional, but desirable: LCD extension cable (e.g. Parallax 805-00011). Copyright Parallax Inc. ColorPAL ( 28380) v1.0 1/26/2010 Page 1 of 12 Quick Start (Color Sensing) 1. Hook up your ColorPAL as shown below in the Installation section, using P15 for the signal. 2. Download the color match software zip file from the ColorPAL product page on parallax.com. 3. Load the program ColorPAL sense.bs2 into your BASIC Stamp and RUN it. 4. Close the DEBUG window. 5. Start the program TCS3200 ColorPAL match.exe on your PC. 6. Follow the instructions included with the color match zip file. Quicker Start (Color Sensing) 1. Hook up your ColorPAL as shown below in the Installation section, using P15 for the signal. 2. Download the BASIC Stamp program, ColorPAL mimic.bs2, and RUN it in your BASIC Stamp. 3. Calibrate on black and white subjects, using the b and w keys. 4. Sample a color using the s key, then look at the LED to see that color being mimicked. Quickest Start (LED Demo) 1. Hook up your ColorPAL as shown below in the Installation section, using P15 for the signal. 2. Download the BASIC Stamp program, ColorPAL transit.bs2, and RUN it in your BASIC Stamp. 3. Hold the ColorPAL above a white sheet of paper, and watch as the LEDs colors change, blending from one to another. CAUTION: The LED is much too bright and concentrated to stare at directly. Use the above technique to view the color changes. Principle of Operation The ColorPAL uses an RGB LED to illuminate a sample, one color at a time, along with a broad-spectrum light-to-voltage converter to measure the light reflected back. The amount of light reflected from the sample under illumination from each red, green, and blue LED can be used to determine the samples color. The light sensor used in the ColorPAL is a TAOS (www.taosinc.com) TSL13T, which has the following spectral sensitivity curve (taken from the TSL13T datasheet and superimposed with the LED wavelengths: Copyright Parallax Inc. ColorPAL ( 28380) v1.0 1/26/2010 Page 2 of 12