TCRT5000 Infrared Reflective Photoelectric Switch Line tracker Analog

The TCRT5000 Infrared Reflective photoelectric switch is a line tracker sensor with an analog output. The TCRT5000 combines an infrared LED and a phototransistor side by side: the LED shines on the surface below and the phototransistor measures how much light is reflected back. Light surfaces reflect more infrared than black lines, so the output voltage changes as the sensor passes over a line, which makes it a favourite for line-following robots.

TCRT5000 Infrared Reflective Specifications

• Sensor: TCRT5000 reflective optical sensor (IR emitter and phototransistor)
• Emitter wavelength: 950 nm infrared
• Detection distance: best at about 2.5 mm, working range about 0.2 to 15 mm
• Detector: phototransistor with a daylight-blocking filter
• Output: analog voltage that varies with the reflected infrared light

TCRT5000 Infrared Reflective Applications

• Line-following robots and robotics competitions
• Detecting black and white marks, edges or encoder stripes
• Counting objects or wheel rotations with a reflective strip
• Edge detection to stop robots driving off a table
• Arduino and STEM robotics lessons

What's in the Box

• 1 × TCRT5000 analog line tracker sensor

Tip: Mount the sensor a few millimetres above the floor, read the output with analogRead() over the white surface and over the black line, and set your threshold halfway between the two values. Shield it from direct sunlight, which contains infrared and can upset the readings.

Orders placed before 14:00 are ready for pickup the same day. Delivery across Lebanon usually takes 1–3 working days.