STMicroelectronics Launches Affordable STGesture™ Turnkey Gesture Recognition Solution

Enables contactless control in a variety of applications

• FlightSense™ dedicated software package enables low-power, low-cost gesture detection

• Camera-free human-machine interaction solution based on ToF multi-zone ranging sensor can achieve full privacy 

May 12, 2022, China – STMicroelectronics (STMicroelectronics) , a world-leading semiconductor company serving multiple electronic applications, has launched a contactless gesture control solution that is not only simple and affordable, but can also be used in consumer and industrial applications. This solution includes STMicroelectronics' VL53L5CX FlightSense™ Time-of-Flight (ToF) multi-zone ranging sensor and free supporting engineering software. Gesture recognition using ToF sensors is a breakthrough human-computer interaction technology that enables users to interact with various devices in a complex manner.

Gesture-controlled human-computer interaction, originally a feature exclusive to high-end cars, can now be used to enhance the interactive experience of a variety of devices, including kitchen appliances, thermostats, smart home controls, smart lighting controls, laptops, AR/VR headsets, tablets and smartphones. In addition, in today's situation, if users can make full use of contactless gestures for interface control, it will be more helpful to prevent the spread of diseases through devices such as vending machines, ticket machines, elevator control buttons, interactive multimedia screens, etc.

Now, STMicroelectronics' VL53L5CX multi-zone ToF ranging sensor and the latest supporting software will make gesture detection in the market easier and more affordable. The combination of the sensor and software can calculate the X/Y/Z axis coordinates of the hand in real time, thereby realizing hand tracking and identifying gestures such as clicks, slides, and height control.

Unlike traditional machine vision solutions, which are expensive and can infringe on privacy, ST's solution allows designers to create a gesture recognition system that is more privacy-friendly and low-power, and can work in the dark without the need for external light sources. ST's lightweight gesture algorithm runs on a low-power microcontroller, consuming very little system resources, making it easy to integrate into existing applications.

“The market is moving toward making edge devices more economical and energy-efficient, while also becoming more advanced and powerful,” said Eric Aussedat, Executive Vice President and General Manager of STMicroelectronics’ Imaging Business Unit. “Technologies such as ST’s FlightSense imaging portfolio are leading the way. Now, the portfolio is complemented by free, ready-to-use software that enables the integration of gesture recognition for touchless control in a wide range of consumer and industrial devices.”

The STSW-IMG035 software package is designed for the VL53L5CX multi-zone direct time-of-flight (dToF) ranging sensor and supports the entire STM32* microcontroller family. The VL53L5CX is STMicroelectronics' latest generation ToF sensor with 64 ranging zones, accurate ranging up to 400 cm, and a wide 63° diagonal square-edge field of view.

The VL53L5CX sensor is in production now and is available in a 6.4mm x 3.0mm x 1.5mm 16-pin optical LGA package. The ready-to-use STSW-IMG035 gesture package, including GUI, sample code and software libraries, is available here. The software package and hardware evaluation board are available here.

* STM32 is a registered trademark of STMicroelectronics International NV or its affiliates in the EU and/or elsewhere. In particular, STM32 is registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office.