Texas Instruments Light to Digital Converters
Light to digital converters (previously known as optical to digital converters) are a type of hardware device used to convert light into a digital signal. In essence, the device is composed of a light sensor, such as a photodiode, and an analog-to-digital converter. When exposed to light, the photodiode generates a small electric current proportional to the intensity of the light, which the analog-to-digital converter then converts into a digital value between 0 and 255 (or whatever range the user has set). This digital value is typically then sent to a computer, allowing for simple and precise measurement of light intensity. These converters are commonly used in photography, lighting, home automation and robotics applications.