Light intensity measurement using LabVIEW graphical programming environment

Abstract

Lighting and light distribution have a crucial influence on factors such as performance and occupational safety. This paper aims to create a virtual instrument (VI), developed around the Arduino Uno development platform, designed to measure the light intensity using the BPW34 sensitive silicon PIN photodiode. The reverse-biased photodiode can be used as a light detector by monitoring the current flowing through it. Coupled to a 10Kohm resistor and considering the specifications of the BPW34 model, a simple relationship is offered between lux (light intensity) and the voltage across the resistance. The virtual instrument reads this voltage and converts it to a light intensity value in Lux. There is also an alarming function if the light intensity exceeds the set value. The VI also shows basic statistics like Max, Mean, and Min light intensity values.