Is BSEC 2.0 compatible with BME680? What are the new features of 2.0 vs 1?

[NickXML]

Hi,

Maybe I just missed this but I have search across the Bosch website. Two questions:

1. Is the new BSEC 2.0 compatible with the BME680, or only the BME688?
2. What are the main new features of 2.0 vs 1? 

We hope to eventually switch to the BME688, but for now we have a bunch of product with the BME680. Just trying to figure out pros and cons.

Any links or information anyone has would be very helpful.

-Nick

[Minhwan]

Hello, 

1. You can download bsec 2 below url and can check the information in documation. 

https://www.bosch-sensortec.com/software-tools/software/bme688-software/

2. You can check the information in our datasheet. 

https://www.bosch-sensortec.com/media/boschsensortec/downloads/datasheets/bst-bme688-ds000.pdf

3. You can use LP and ULP for BSEC 2. However, if you want to use AI learning, currently you have to use high performance so that BME688 will run as high performance mode. 

Thanks, 

[NickXML]

Thanks for the reply.

Regarding item 3, that's not quite what I was asking, but it does also open up other questions.

3. You can use LP and ULP for BSEC 2. However, if you want to use AI learning, currently you have to use high performance so that BME688 will run as high performance mode. 

With the previous version of BSEC and the BME680, you could only use continuous mode, LP, or ULP mode. For practical purposes, this meant you could only choose a sample rate of every 3s or every 5 minutes. It was apparently not possible to set a different sample rate e.g. sample every 1 minutes.

Two questions:

1. With BSEC 2, is it now possible to set an arbitrary sample rate?

2. I understand that AI learning would require continuous/high performance mode. However, once learning/training has been completed, can the BME688 run in a lower power mode for detection?

Thanks for your help.

[Minhwan]

Hello Nick, 

1) No, only LP, ULP, high performance mode are available for sensors. 

2) No, you have to set high performance mode for AI learning sensors. 

Please let me know if you have further quetsions. 

Thanks, 

[knieriem]

Hello Minhwan,

so, as you wrote in a previous post, basically BSEC 2.0 is compatible with BME680.

I'm not sure, though, that I'm understanding point 1 of your reply, "But, you have to use right config file": If I use a generic config file, like "generic_33v_3s_4d", wouldn't I be able to use this same config file, regardless of whether it is BME680 or BME688 (provided I'm interested only in IAQ solution, not selectivity to gas)?
Is a (generic) config file for BSEC2+BME680 necessarily different from one for BSEC2+BME688?

[Minhwan]

Hi knieriem, 

Let me clear your question. 

"you have to use right config file" means we provide several config files depends on which mode you want to use it. 

For example, roughly we have bsec_sel_iaq_18v_4d generic_18v_3s_4d generic_18v_300s_4d.

1) bsec_sel_iaq_18v_4d is for BME688 selectivity. 

2) generic_18v_3s_4d is for LP mode. (Every 3s you could get data) 

3) generic_18v_300s_4d is for ULP mode (Every 300s you could get data) 

And if you want to use LP or ULP, there is no difference between BME680 and BME688. BME688 just provide selectivity mode more.

And for power mode, you need to check below list.

1) If you want to use LP(Low power) or ULP(Ultra low power) mode, selectivity virtual sensors shouldn't be in sensorlist.

Please remove BSEC_OUTPUT_RAW_GAS_INDEX, BSEC_OUTPUT_GAS_ESTIMATE_1~4 in your sensorlist. 

2) Please put right power mode. We have BSEC_SAMPLE_RATE_HIGH_PERFORMANCE, BSEC_SAMPLE_RATE_LP, BSEC_SAMPLE_RATE_ULP.

Please let me know if you have further questions. 

Thank you.