How to Use APDS9960 Gesture Sensor With Arduino

In this tutorial we will learn How to Use APDS9960 Gesture Sensor with Arduino to display hand directions on the OLED Display using Visuino software.

Watch the video!

Step 1: What You Will Need

• Arduino UNO (or any other Arduino)
• APDS9960 Sensor
• Jumper wires
• Breadboard
• OLED Display
• Visuino program: Download Visuino

Step 2: The Circuit

• Connect Sensor Pin [GND] to Arduino board pin [GND]
• Connect Sensor Pin [Vin] to Arduino board pin [3.3V]
• Connect Sensor Pin [SDA] to Arduino board pin [SDA]
• Connect Sensor Pin [SCL] to Arduino board pin [SCL]
• Connect OLED Display Pin [GND] to Arduino board pin [GND]
• Connect OLED Display Pin [VCC] to Arduino board pin [+5V]
• Connect OLED Display Pin [SCL] to Arduino board pin [SCL]
• Connect OLED Display Pin [SDA] to Arduino board pin [SDA]

Step 3: Start Visuino, and Select the Arduino UNO Board Type

To start programming the Arduino, you will need to have the Arduino IDE installed from here: https://www.arduino.cc/.

Please be aware that there are some critical bugs in Arduino IDE 1.6.6. Make sure that you install 1.6.7 or higher, otherwise this tutorial will not work! If you have not done follow the steps in this tutorial to setup the Arduino IDE to program Arduino UNO! The Visuino: https://www.visuino.eu also needs to be installed. Start Visuino as shown in the first picture Click on the "Tools" button on the Arduino component (Picture 1) in Visuino When the dialog appears, select "Arduino UNO" as shown on Picture 2

Step 4: In Visuino ADD and Set Components

• Add "Gesture Color Proximity APDS9960 I2C" component
• Add "Text Value" componentDouble click on the "TextValue1" component and in the Elements window drag 4x "Set Value" to the left sideSelect "SetValue1" on the left side and in the properties window set value to UPSelect "SetValue2" on the left side and in the properties window set value to DOWNSelect "SetValue3" on the left side and in the properties window set value to LEFTSelect "SetValue4" on the left side and in the properties window set value to RIGHTClose the elements window

• Add "SSD1306/SH1106 OLED Display (I2C)" componentDouble click on the "DisplayOLED1" component and in the Elements window drag "Text Field" to the left sideOn the Left side select TextField1 and in the properties window set size to 3Close the elements window

Step 5: In Visuino Connect Components

• Connect "GestureColorProximity1" pin "Up" to "TextValue1">"SetValue1" pin [In]
• Connect "GestureColorProximity1" pin "Down" to "TextValue1">"SetValue2" pin [In]
• Connect "GestureColorProximity1" pin "Left" to "TextValue1">"SetValue3" pin [In]
• Connect "GestureColorProximity1" pin "Right" to "TextValue1">"SetValue4" pin [In]
• Connect "GestureColorProximity1" I2C pin "Out" to Arduino Board pin I2C [In]
• Connect "GestureColorProximity1" I2C pin "Out" to "DisplayOLED1" > "TextField1" pin [In]
• Connect "DisplayOLED1" I2C pin "Out" to Arduino Board pin I2C [In]

Step 6: Generate, Compile, and Upload the Arduino Code

In Visuino, at the bottom click on the "Build" Tab, make sure the correct port is selected, then click on the "Compile/Build and Upload" button.

Step 7: Play

If you power the Arduino UNO module, and the move the hand over the gesture sensor the OLED Display should show the direction of the hand gesture.

Congratulations! You have completed your project with Visuino. Also attached is the Visuino project, that I created for this tutorial, you can download it and open it in Visuino: https://www.visuino.eu