Hello everyone,
I’m evaluating ST ToF sensors (VL53L5CX / VL53L8CX) for an outdoor motion-tracking use case and would like to understand the general feasibility before investing in prototypes.
Setup:
A ToF sensor would be placed approximately at ankle height behind a moving person, facing upwards. The goal is to detect center-of-mass shifts and general arm/torso positioning while the person moves — not detailed skeletal joints, just coarse body-position indicators.
Environment:
Potentially strong sunlight and ambient IR exposure
Possible water droplets, spray, and wet surfaces near the sensor (but not submerged)
Target surfaces are typically dark fabrics or wetsuit-like materials at a distance of 0.5–2 m
Questions
General feasibility – Can VL53L5CX or VL53L8CX reliably detect human body shape or coarse motion under these lighting and environmental conditions, or would performance degrade too much in direct sunlight and with occasional droplets on the cover glass?
Environmental tolerance – Are there known limitations or mitigations for operation near moisture (e.g., hydrophobic coatings, tilted windows, or protective housings) that can keep the sensor functional outdoors?
Resolution needs – The built-in 8×8 zone grid is appealing, but would that be sufficient to distinguish major limb/torso motion at ~1–2 m? Or should we expect that only higher-resolution ToF (e.g., TMF8829-class or camera-grade depth sensors) can meaningfully separate these shapes?
Recommended starting point – For evaluating outdoor motion-tracking feasibility, would you recommend beginning with VL53L5CX or VL53L8CX, and are there evaluation boards better suited for testing under bright IR and wet conditions?
I’d really appreciate the team’s perspective on whether multi-zone ToF sensors can realistically capture large-body movement outdoors, or if the physics and environment make this fundamentally unreliable.
Thank you!
Michael
