P-NUCLEO-53L8A1 and VL53L8CHV0GC

[Rhagg28]

I was looking to wire these 2 items together to acquire a LiDAR 3d point cloud data set for a research project im working. 

I wanted to get some input, feedback and guidance on utilizing this hardware for LiDAR 3d point clouds?

VL53L8CHV0GC

P-NUCLEO-53L8A1

[John_Kvam]

I can save you a few dollars. The sensor in the P-Nucleo-53L8A1 is capable of running the CNH code. So, you don't need to buy the VL53L8CHV0GC until you are ready for production. (We saved a bit by putting the more capable VL53L18 on the eval kit.)

But start with the VL53L8CX eval kit software and see if it does what you want. The CNH code has more in-depth histogram info, but to get a 3D point cloud, you might not need it.

But 8x8 is not a very high resolution. Some people have use algos to render a simulated 16x16 by using the distance and signal data, but it's a lot of work. 

A/I can help as well, but I'm not as big a fan as you might expect.

The VL53L9 is coming out in a year or so, and it has almost a 50x50 resolution, so do your best and if it's just not enough resolution, wait a year and you will do better. 

- john

[Rhagg28]

Thank you for sharing this information. 

If I were to be purchasing the evaluation kit from STMs wwebsite would this be the appropriate link https://estore.st.com/en/p-nucleo-53l8a1-cpn.html 

When I read the data on that site link I don't see it mentioning that the eval kit includes the sensor you mentioned?

[EliasB · Accepted solution]

Hello Rhagg28,

The evaluation kit in the link you provided is the correct one according to the one suggested by John_Kvam.

Elias

[John_Kvam]

Elias (a good friend and co-worker before I retired) is correct, but perhaps he didn't go far enough.

You can buy the P-Nucleo-53L8A1 from ST, or from DigiKey or Mouser. It's the same price depending on who has a sale on at the moment. But both DigiKey and Mouser both ship faster. After all, shipping parts is what they do. ST builds parts - and will ship them, but the shipping is not a big part of their business. 

You are already probably buying prototype parts from DigiKey or Mouser, and maybe some bigger quantities from Future Electronics, Avent or Arrow. Just add the ST parts to those orders. 

All 5 of these guys can ship you ST parts. Just keep using them. They can most likely supply your entire BOM, not just the ST parts.  

[Rhagg28]

Hello,

I am having a hard time finding which software pack this file vl53l8cx_def.h is in?

I think once I get that I should be get the zones if Im understanding the error correctly. Please advise. 

If it helps with the solution I am trying to use the P-NUCLEO-53L8A1 and VL53L8CHV0GC to generate 3D point clouds.