M0189 I2C 8x8 ToF Module
Product Description
The M0189 is a compact, I2C-based 8x8 multizone Time-of-Flight (ToF) rangefinder module built around the STMicroelectronics VL53L8CX sensor, assembled in the USA by ModalAI. Using direct-ToF FlightSense technology and an eye-safe 940 nm Class 1 VCSEL emitter, it measures absolute distance across up to 64 independent zones — independent of target color or reflectance.
The module is hardware-strapped for I2C operation, so no host-side configuration of the sensor's mode pins is required — only power, ground and the I2C bus are routed through the connector. It is managed in software by voxl-mini-tof-server, giving developers ready-to-use multizone depth sensing for obstacle avoidance, proximity sensing and mapping.
The MDK-M0188-1-00 VOXL 2 Mini carrier, which supported the M0189, is End of Life.
Product Specifications
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Sensor | STMicroelectronics VL53L8CX direct Time-of-Flight (dToF) multizone ranging sensor |
| Ranging Technology | Direct Time-of-Flight (FlightSense), histogram-based |
| Emitter | 940 nm invisible-light VCSEL, Class 1 eye-safe |
| Multizone Resolution | 8x8 (64 zones) or 4x4 (16 zones), software-selectable |
| Max Frame Rate | 15 Hz at 8x8, 60 Hz at 4x4 |
| Field of View | 65° diagonal square FoV (DOE on Tx and Rx) |
| Max Ranging Distance | Up to 400 cm (target- and ambient-dependent) |
| Host Interface | I2C up to 1 MHz, board strapped to I2C mode |
| Default I2C Address | 0x52 (8-bit) / 0x29 (7-bit) |
| Supply Rails | 3.3 V (AVDD) and 1.8 V (IOVDD / CORE_1V8) |
| Max Current | 90 mA at 1.8 V, 60 mA at 3.3 V (design maximums; actual draw varies with resolution and ranging frequency) |
| Board Connector | JST BM05B-SRSS-TBT — SR series, 1.0 mm pitch, 5-position, top-entry |
| Mating Cable | MCBL-00128 |
| ESD Protection | TVS diodes on supply and I2C lines |
| Origin | Assembled in the USA |
Software Features
- Managed by voxl-mini-tof-server
- Publishes per-zone depth data over Modal Pipe Architecture (MPA) to VOXL Vision Hub, VOXL Mapper and VOXL Portal
- Configurable ranging frequency and resolution via the ST VL53L8CX ULD API (STSW-IMG040)
- Integrates with VOXL Mapper and other obstacle-avoidance pipelines in the VOXL SDK
Note: the VL53L8CX powers up in 4x4 mode. Set the resolution to 8x8 before configuring the ranging frequency, since the maximum frame rate depends on the selected resolution. Histogram crosstalk immunity holds beyond roughly 60 cm; with a cover glass, targets closer than that may need crosstalk calibration.
Technical Details
User Guide (voxl-mini-tof-server)
What's Included
| MPN | Description |
|---|---|
| MDK-M0189-2-00 | M0189 I2C 8x8 ToF Module, Board Only |
Additional Items Not Included
- MCBL-00128 cable — required, sold separately
- VOXL 2 compute board
Compatible Products
| Product | Compatible? |
|---|---|
| VOXL 2 Mini | ❌ not currently supported |
| VOXL 2 | ✅ requires additional cabling |
| VOXL | ❌ |
| VOXL Flight | ❌ |
Export Information
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| ECCN | EAR99 |
| Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) Code | 8542.31 |
| Country of Origin | USA |
| Radio Frequencies Used | None — optical sensor (940 nm IR laser), no RF emission |
| RoHS Compliant | Yes |