Appliances & tools

By combining state-of-the-art light and sensor technologies, we enable machines to operate more efficiently, safely and add a new dimension to appliance design and differentiating features.

Making our white goods smarter

The digitization of our homes is enabling greater comfort, lower energy consumption and better comply with compelling design constraints. Combined lighting and sensing technologies are key to automation – making our white goods ‘smarter’ and adding color to function and design.

ams OSRAM optical technology enables new levels of convenience and quality with real-time monitoring and control for washing machines, dishwashers and refrigerators. Our multi-spectral sensors in the visible and near IR spectrum let you ‘see into the water’ to determine detergent effectiveness and rinse quality using competitively-priced precision components. This chip-scale sensing includes a range of offerings that can detect color, particles, and turbidity in water or sense different types of fabric.

As they become more intelligent, white goods will sense user presence and modify the display to further reduce power consumption or to realize more attractive fonts. Using 1D, single or multi-zone time-of-flight sensing the system can monitor for user presence and even detect simple hand gestures. Other ams OSRAM capabilities to support major appliances include: proximity and ambient light sensing for user display management, high-resolution image sensing and position sensing for motor control and door monitoring.

A new dimension of features sets which is supported by ams OSRAM’s innovative high-power UV-C LEDs and precise spectral sensors, allows to initiate periodic purification of the device using in-built contamination monitoring on filters or surfaces by UV-C stimulated bio-fluorescence measurements. We provide the right fit LED light and sensing solution across performance, spectrum and package options for the specific end applications – whether for innovative illumination, compelling functional features or display designs.

Finally, advanced optical integrated or discrete components open opportunity for a complete new set of human-machine interfaces to control operation. Traditional control interfaces use dedicated mechanical buttons or touch screen which require additional coating to be resistant to dirt, wetness etc. and might show different aging behavior because of this. Others rely on capacitive or resistive sensing, which is problematic to operate with wet or dirty fingers or hands wearing gloves. Optical force sensing solutions bring a huge advantage here: defined areas on the machine’s housing become the control switch itself. It allows implementation of sensitive, robust, hygienic, stylish and cost effective switching controls. Reach out to ams OSRAM to learn more on these powerful solutions.

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Laser Illumination Laser Diode Blue Laser Turquoise Laser Green Laser Visible Laser Laser Laser Leveling 488 nm Fluorescence Spectroscopy Laser Pointer

Small appliance innovative solutions

ams OSRAM sensors, LED’s and lasers are an integral part of innovative solutions in small appliances. Customers use our emitters and sensors for functions such as making vacuum cleaners smart by employing spectral sensing for material identification of floor types (to adjust cleaning actions). Laser lighting is used for locating dirt and dust areas which require additional tratment with vacuum cleaner. For personal care devices, our sensors (for example) accurately measure temperature, proximity and moisture control in hair dryers. For beauty applications, ams OSRAM lasers are used to generate short high energety laser pulses which are absorbed by the pigment in the hair and destroy the follicle to slow down and or fully stop further hair growth in that area.
There is an extremely broad range of opportunities where laser or LED light emitters at selected spectra in combination with optical sensors unlock new solution domains. ams OSRAM supports these innovative solutions across the full range of desired optimization parameters, such as light source, spectral range, power range, form-factors and package options, beam shapes and optics and more.

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Laser diodes in construction tools

Laser diodes can be game changers as tools for construction, warehouse management and even material processing.

In modern building construction, laser tools play an important role. Laser levelling helps ensure that an object under construction is in the correct alignment.

Laser diodes are also the perfect light source for range finders and distance measurement. For example, laser rangefinder technology is used extensively to enable the automation of stock management systems, some production processes, and even 3D modelling.

Our new green laser diodes enable users to benefit from the four-times brighter appearance of a green laser compared to red without sacrificing the valuable features of red lasers. The better visibility is ideal for longer distance operation and outdoor daylight applications.

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Featured Products

ams AS7341 – 11-Channel Spectral Color Sensor

AS7341 is an 11-channel multi-spectral sensor for color detection and spectral analysis applications. The spectral response is defined in the wavelengths from approximately 350nm to 1000nm. 6 channels can be processed in parallel by independent ADCs while the other channels are accessible via a multiplexer. 8 optical channels cover the visible spectrum, one channel can be used to measure near infra-red light and one channel is a photo diode without filter (“clear”). The device also integrates a dedicated channel to detect 50Hz or 60Hz ambient light flicker. The flicker detection engine can also buffer data for calculating other flicker frequencies externally. The NIR channel in combination with the other VIS channel may provide information of surrounding ambient light conditions (light source detection). The device can also be synchronized to external signals via pin GPIO. AS7341 integrates filters into standard CMOS silicon via Nano-optic deposited interference filtertechnology and its package provides a built in aperture to control the light entering the sensor array. Control and Spectral data access is implemented through a serial I²C interface. The device is available in an ultra-low profile package with dimensions of 3.1mm x 2mm x 1mm.

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ams TMD2636 IR Proximity Detection Module

The TMD2636 is an advanced IR proximity sensor module suited for short range proximity measurement detection and offered in the industry's smallest size (1.0mm x 2.0mm) and thin (0.35mm) optical land grid array module that incorporates a 940nm IR VCSEL and is factory calibrated for IR proximity response. The proximity detection feature provides nearby object detection by photodiode detection of reflected IR energy sourced by the integrated VCSEL emitter. Sensitivity, power consumption, and noise can be optimized with adjustable timing and power. Detect/release events can be interrupt driven, and occur when proximity result crosses upper and/or lower threshold settings. The proximity engine features advanced crosstalk noise cancellation through a wide range offset adjustments to compensate for unwanted IR energy reflection at the sensor. Proximity results are further improved by automatic ambient light subtraction.

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ams TMF8801 1D Time-of-Flight Sensor

The TMF8801 is a true direct time-of-flight (ToF) sensor system in a single modular package which offers highly accurate depth accuracy detection through a sub-nanosecond light pulse and an antialiasing “stop-watch” method to measure round-trip time of pulse. It provides single zone detection of an object irrespective of the color, reflectivity and texture of the object. The single module with VCSEL emitter offers high dynamic range and detection sensing measurements from 2 – 250 cm distances. The device utilizes highly sensitive SPAD detection with fast compact time-to digital converters to make highly accurate distance measurements within ±5% and is capable of operation in dark environments and in the presence of sunlight. A built-in histogram is featured to detect cover glass and reports an object distances operating with the highest SNR while compensating for dirt and smudges contaminants on a products cover glass to produce artifact free measurement. The histogram delivers dynamic cover glass calibration and crosstalk compensation and background light noise is minimized through on-chip sunlight rejection filters. Data output is through a 1.8V I²C fast-mode communications interface and an integrated micro controller is featured with all algorithms included on-chip with no need for external optics.

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ams AS6221 Temperature Sensor

The AS6221 is a high accurate digital temperature sensor with an accuracy of up to ±0.09°C, which is ideal for healthcare applications, wearables and devices requiring high-performance thermal information. The AS6221, is a complete digital sensor system, requires no calibration or linearization. It provides measurement outputs via a standard I²C interface. The sensor supports eight I²C addresses avoiding bus conflicts in multi-sensor use cases. The ultra-small size of the sensor (WLCSP 1.5 mm x 1.0 mm) enables accurate body/skin temperature measurements in very small health and lifestyle monitoring products. In addition to the high accuracy and the small form factor, the AS6221 offers a very low power consumption, for example measuring with 4 samples/s, the current consumption is only 6 µA. The sensor has 4 different automatic acquisition modes and keeps the high accuracy over the full supply range from 1.71 to 3.6 V. An integrated alert functionality triggers an interrupt to the micro controller when a temperature threshold is exceeded. The temperature threshold for the alert function can be adjusted in a device register.The AS6221 production test setup is calibrated according NIST and the verification equipment is calibrated by an ISO/IEC-17025 accredited laboratory.

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OSRAM Metal Can TO56, PLT5 510

Green Laser Diode in TO56 Package

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OSRAM SYNIOS® S2222, KB DDLM31.13

This square package with just 2mm outline combines best performance with a small footprint. A centralized chip allows an easy integration in optical systems. The availability of different main colors and white points gives highest flexibility in various application areas.

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OSRAM OSLON® UV 3535, SU CULEP1.VC

This compact UV-C LED is part of the OSLON UV series. It allows a flexible design for any application which requires UV-C radiation.

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ams AS7343 Spectral Sensor

The AS7343 is a 14-channel highly versatile, multi-purpose spectral sensor enabling new consumer, commercial, industrial and laboratory applications. It is optimized for reflective, transmissive and emissive measurements including color matching, fluid or reagent analysis or general spectral reconstruction.The spectral response is defined by individual channels covering approximately 380 nm to 1000 nm with 12+2 channels: 12 in the visible spectrum (VIS) to near-infrared (NIR) range, a clear channel and flicker channel. Applications can be assisted by full spectral reconstruction of light and an integrated flicker detection channel that can automatically flag ambient light flicker at 50/60 Hz as well as buffer data for externally calculating other flicker frequencies. AS7343 integrates high-precision optical filters onto standard CMOS silicon via deposited interference filter technology. A built-in aperture controls the light entering the sensor array to increase accuracy. A programmable digital GPIO and LED driver enable light source and trigger/sync control. Device control and spectral data access is implemented through a serial I²C interface. The device is available in an ultra-low profile package with dimensions of 3.1 mm x 2 mm x 1 mm.

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ams AS7331 Spectral UV Sensor

The AS7331 is a low-power, low noise integrated UV sensor. The three separated UVA, UVB and UVC channels convert optical radiation signals via UV optimized photodiodes to a digital result and realize a continuous or triggered measurement. The irradiance responsivity can be adjusted via Gain, conversion time and internal clock frequency to effect sensitivity, full scale range and LSB. The by the AS7331 detected amount of radiation in the set Gain and conversion time configuration will be provided as digital counts by the AS7331. The AS7331 offers a range of 12 Gain steps by a factor of two for each step. The conversion time is internally controlled over a wide range of 15 steps by a factor of two for each step. With the input pin (SYN), the conversion time can be externally controlled to adapt the measurement to the given environment and time base.With its irradiance responsivity factor and conversion time, the AS7331 supports an overall huge dynamic range up to 3.43E+10 (resolution multiplied by gain range). It achieves an accuracy of up to 24-bit signal resolution (internal via I²C and shifter 16-bit), with an irradiance responsivity per count down to 2.38 nW/cm² at 64 ms integration time. Via an integrated divider, the 16-bit I²C output can be adjusted to the significant bits of interest.

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