We've all been there. That thing is close but how close? When you need to measure a meter-or-so distance with reasonable accuracy, the VCNL4200 Long Distance Proximity Sensor from Vishay can do that for you. It's excellent for robotic or motion-detection situations. And. if perchance you also needed to measure the amount of light at the same time, you're in luck! The VCNL4200 can do that too, with it's built in ambient light sensor (ALS)