A Colorful and Practical Voltage Indicator——Don’t Miss Out!

Sometimes, USB voltage issues can be quite frustrating, as it's difficult to determine whether the chosen power supply is the best option for a particular device just by looking at it. Recently, Meticulous Technologies has introduced USB VSense, a great solution to this problem. USB VSense is a voltage indicator that is simple, practical, and compact, measuring only 56 x 18.5 x 5.6 mm. It is powered by a Microchip ATtiny406 microcontroller (MCU), whose 10-bit analog-to-digital converter (ADC) provides high-resolution measurements ranging from 5 to 48 volts. What’s particularly refreshing is USB VSense's operation: it lits different colors to indicate various voltage levels, allowing users to efficiently assess the current situation at a glance.

Colorful Voltages

The LED array of USB VSense is simple and easy to read. The panel features eight individual indicators, each marked with a different color to represent the eight fixed voltage modes of USB Power Delivery.

Additionally, each color is paired with distinct flashing patterns to inform users of the current voltage status.

USB VSense is composed of a stack of seven PCBs, a design that allows users to easily replicate, repair, or customize the device according to their preferences. Besides, USB VSense boasts impressively low power consumption, with the maximum current draw during normal operation being less than 6 mA.

Multi-functional

In addition to professional engineering applications, USB VSense is also a great helper in daily life due to its wide range of uses for USB power. These include verifying whether a cable or charger can supply sufficient power, checking the reliability of a charger, and ensuring compatibility between a chosen charger and a device. Beyond its detection capabilities, it can also serve as a reliable development tool for USB power-related projects whenever users need it.

Features & Specifications

• Fully capable of the latest USB PD EPR specifications (48 V, 5 A, 240 W)
• A wide operational and measurement range of 4.5 V to 51 V
• Individual color-coded indicators for each fixed voltage level:

5 V (red)

9 V (orange)

12 V (yellow)

15 V (green)

20 V (lime)

28 V (blue)

36 V (purple)

48 V (white)

• Distinct alerts show > 5% and > 10% deviations from the fixed voltages. This feature is also helpful in approximating PPS voltages
• Passthrough for USB 2.0 data, CC, and SBUS lines
• Ultra-low power consumption, less than six mA of current drawn by the device (absolute maximum under regular operation)
• ATtiny 406’s 10-bit ADC with 4.3 V internal voltage reference provides stable measurements of up to 22 mV resolution for voltages below 20 V and 49 mV for voltages between 20 V and 51 V
• Stacked PCB construction with high-quality parts built to last:

1. Automotive grade LDO from Microchip (+70 V absolute max input voltage with ESD protection)
2. Kingbright low-current LEDs
3. JAE USB Type-C connectors rated for 48 V and 5 A

• 56 x 18.5 x 5.6 mm (2.28 x 0.73 x 0.22 in)

This project is going to crowdfund on CrowdSupply, check USB VSense for more info and welcome to support it if you are interested.