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Shtc3 - How it works

SHTC3 is an integrated circuit by Sensirion. When using our board, you are essentially communicating with the onboard SHTC3 directly via I2C communication.

SHTC3 sensor on board
SHTC3 sensor on the board

Datasheet​

For an in-depth look at technical specifications, refer to the official SHTC3 Datasheet:

SHTC3 Datasheet

Detailed technical documentation for the SHTC3 sensor

How the sensor works​

The SHTC3 integrates a capacitive humidity sensor and a bandgap temperature sensor into a single compact package. Internally, it includes signal conditioning, analog-to-digital conversion (ADC), calibration memory, and an I2C interface for seamless data retrieval.

The sensor continuously measures temperature and humidity, converting the readings into digital signals with built-in compensation for accurate and stable performance.

I2C communication​

The SHTC3 uses the I2C protocol to communicate with a microcontroller. It operates with a fixed I2C address of 0x70 and supports fast mode (400 kHz) for rapid data transmission.

Upon request, the sensor responds with two 16-bit values—one for humidity and one for temperature—along with a CRC checksum for data integrity.

Measurement process​

The measurement process is as follows:

  1. Power-up and initialization

    • The sensor enters idle mode when powered on.
    • A wake-up command (0x3517) is required before taking measurements.

  2. Taking a measurement

    • The sensor executes a single humidity and temperature measurement upon receiving the appropriate command.
    • Data conversion is completed in 10.8ms (high-resolution mode).

  3. Data retrieval

    • The microcontroller sends an I2C read command to retrieve the latest humidity and temperature readings.
    • The sensor provides a CRC-protected 16-bit output for both values.