BME688 Environmental Sensor

Name: BME688 Environmental Sensor
Brand: ESP32

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Overview

The BME688 is a compact environmental sensor that measures temperature, humidity, barometric pressure, and gas concentrations. With integrated AI capabilities, it can be trained for specific gas detection applications, making it suitable for indoor air quality monitoring, smart home devices, and various IoT applications.

Quick Navigation

📋 Specs 📍 Pinout 🔌 Wiring 🔧 Debug

Code Examples

Arduino

C++ Framework

ESP-IDF

Native Framework

ESPHome

YAML Configuration

PlatformIO

IDE & Toolchain

About BME688 Environmental Sensor

The BME688, developed by Bosch Sensortec, is a multi-functional environmental sensor that integrates temperature, humidity, barometric pressure, and gas sensing. It is the first gas sensor with AI capabilities, enabling customized gas scanning and detection of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs).

⚡ Key Features

Multi-Sensor Integration – Measures temperature, humidity, pressure, and gas composition.
AI-Powered Gas Detection – Identifies VOCs and VSCs for advanced air quality analysis.
I²C & SPI Communication – Easily interfaces with ESP32, Arduino, and other microcontrollers.
Compact & Low Power – Ideal for smart home, industrial, and wearable applications.

With its advanced sensing and AI-driven gas detection, the BME688 is perfect for air quality monitoring, environmental control, and smart IoT applications. 🚀

🔗 Learn more about the BME688 sensor.

Technical Specs

BME688 Specifications

Complete technical specification details for BME688 Environmental Sensor

📊 Technical Parameters

Interface I²C (up to 3.4 MHz) / SPI (up to 10 MHz)

Pressure Range 300 hPa to 1100 hPa

Temperature Range -40°C to +85°C

Humidity Range 0% to 100% r.H.

Operating Voltage 1.71V to 3.6V

Power Consumption 2.1 µA at 1 Hz humidity and temperature; 3.7 µA at 1 Hz humidity, pressure, and temperature; 0.9 mA in low power gas scanning mode

Gas Sensor Detects VOCs, VSCs, CO, and hydrogen in the ppb range

Dimensions 3.0 mm × 3.0 mm × 0.93 mm

Weight Approximately 1.5 mg

Download Full Datasheet

Pin Configuration

BME688 Pinout

The **BME688** supports both **I²C** and **SPI** with AI-powered gas sensing:

Visual Pinout Diagram

Pinout Diagram Primary

Total Pins

Pin Types

Power

Communication

Quick Tips

🔌

**Dual Protocol**: Supports both I²C and SPI,📡 **I²C Address**: 0x76 or 0x77,🌡️ **Temperature**: -40°C to +85°C,💧 **Humidity**: 0-100% RH

🎚️

**Pressure**: 300-1100 hPa,💨 **Gas Sensor**: AI-powered VOC and VSC detection,🤖 **AI Capable**: Train for specific gas detection

🔥

**IAQ**: Indoor Air Quality Index,⚡ **Power**: 1.71V-3.6V (typically 3.3V),🎯 **Applications**: Advanced air quality, smart homes, industrial

Pin Descriptions

Pin Name	Type	Description	Notes
1 VIN	Power	Power input	1.71V to 3.6V (typically 3.3V)
2 GND	Power	Ground connection
3 SDA/SDI	Communication	I²C data / SPI data in	Connect to ESP32 GPIO21 (I²C) or GPIO23 (SPI)
4 SCL/SCK	Communication	I²C clock / SPI clock	Connect to ESP32 GPIO22 (I²C) or GPIO18 (SPI)
5 CS	Communication	Chip select for SPI	Connect to GND for I²C mode, GPIO5 for SPI
6 SDO	Communication	SPI data out	GPIO19 for SPI, optional in I²C

Connection Guide

Wiring BME688 to ESP32

To interface the **BME688** with an **ESP32** using **I²C**:

Visual Wiring Diagram

Wiring Diagram Recommended

BME688 Environmental Sensor wiring with ESP32

Connections

Connection Status

Required

Protocol

I2C

Pin Connections

BME688 Pin	ESP32 Pin	Description
1 VIN Required	3.3V	Power supply
2 GND Required	GND	Ground
3 SDA/SDI Required	GPIO21	I²C data line
4 SCL/SCK Required	GPIO22	I²C clock line
5 CS Required	GND	Set to GND for I²C mode

📍

**I²C Address**: 0x76 or 0x77 (check with scanner)

🤖

**AI Training**: Use Bosch BME AI Studio for custom gas profiles

🔥

**Gas Sensor**: Requires heating element (automatic)

⏱️

**Warm-up**: ~30 minutes for stable gas readings

⚡

**Power**: Use 3.3V

🎯

**Enhanced**: Improved accuracy over BME680

Help & Support

BME688 Troubleshooting

Common issues and solutions to help you get your sensor working

Common Issues

Debugging Tips

Additional Resources

Datasheet

Technical specifications and guidelines

Code Examples

BME688 Programming Examples

Ready-to-use code examples for different platforms and frameworks

#include <Wire.h>
#include <Adafruit_Sensor.h>
#include "Adafruit_BME680.h"

#define SEALEVELPRESSURE_HPA (1013.25)

Adafruit_BME680 bme;

void setup() {
  Serial.begin(115200);
  if (!bme.begin()) {
    Serial.println("Could not find a valid BME680 sensor, check wiring!");
    while (1);
  }
  bme.setTemperatureOversampling(BME680_OS_8X);
  bme.setHumidityOversampling(BME680_OS_2X);
  bme.setPressureOversampling(BME680_OS_4X);
  bme.setIIRFilterSize(BME680_FILTER_SIZE_3);
  bme.setGasHeater(320, 150); // 320°C for 150 ms
}

void loop() {
  if (!bme.performReading()) {
    Serial.println("Failed to perform reading :(");
    return;
  }
  Serial.print("Temperature = ");
  Serial.print(bme.temperature);
  Serial.println(" *C");

  Serial.print("Pressure = ");
  Serial.print(bme.pressure / 100.0);
  Serial.println(" hPa");

  Serial.print("Humidity = ");
  Serial.print(bme.humidity);
  Serial.println(" %");

  Serial.print("Gas = ");
  Serial.print(bme.gas_resistance / 1000.0);
  Serial.println(" KOhms");

  delay(2000);
}

This Arduino code initializes the BME688 sensor using the Adafruit BME680 library, which is compatible with the BME688. The sensor is configured for temperature, humidity, pressure, and gas readings with specific oversampling and filtering settings. The gas heater is set to 320°C for 150 milliseconds to ensure accurate detection of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other gases. The sensor data is read in the loop function and printed to the Serial Monitor every two seconds.

#include "bme688.h"
#include "esp_log.h"

#define I2C_MASTER_SCL_IO 22
#define I2C_MASTER_SDA_IO 21
#define I2C_MASTER_FREQ_HZ 100000
#define BME688_ADDR 0x76

static const char *TAG = "BME688";

void app_main() {
    ESP_LOGI(TAG, "Initializing BME688...");
    bme688_dev dev;
    bme688_init(&dev, I2C_MASTER_SCL_IO, I2C_MASTER_SDA_IO, I2C_MASTER_FREQ_HZ, BME688_ADDR);

    while (1) {
        bme688_data data;
        bme688_read(&dev, &data);
        ESP_LOGI(TAG, "Temperature: %.2f°C", data.temperature);
        ESP_LOGI(TAG, "Pressure: %.2f hPa", data.pressure);
        ESP_LOGI(TAG, "Humidity: %.2f %%", data.humidity);
        ESP_LOGI(TAG, "Gas Resistance: %.2f KOhms", data.gas_resistance / 1000.0);
        vTaskDelay(2000 / portTICK_PERIOD_MS);
    }
}

This ESP-IDF code configures the ESP32 to interface with the BME688 sensor over I²C. The bme688_init function initializes the sensor, and bme688_read fetches temperature, humidity, pressure, and gas resistance readings, which are logged to the console every two seconds.

sensor:
  - platform: bme680
    temperature:
      name: "BME688 Temperature"
    pressure:
      name: "BME688 Pressure"
    humidity:
      name: "BME688 Humidity"
    gas_resistance:
      name: "BME688 Gas Resistance"
    address: 0x76

This ESPHome configuration integrates the BME688 sensor, allowing it to report temperature, pressure, humidity, and gas resistance values. The default I²C address of 0x76 is used.

platformio.ini

[env:esp32dev]
platform = espressif32
board = esp32dev
framework = arduino
lib_deps = 
    adafruit/Adafruit BME680 Library
    wire
monitor_speed = 115200

main.cpp

#include <Wire.h>
#include "Adafruit_BME680.h"

Adafruit_BME680 bme;

void setup() {
  Serial.begin(115200);
  if (!bme.begin()) {
    Serial.println("Could not find a valid BME688 sensor, check wiring!");
    while (1);
  }
}

void loop() {
  Serial.print("Temperature: ");
  Serial.print(bme.readTemperature());
  Serial.println(" *C");

  Serial.print("Pressure: ");
  Serial.print(bme.readPressure() / 100.0);
  Serial.println(" hPa");

  Serial.print("Humidity: ");
  Serial.print(bme.readHumidity());
  Serial.println(" %");

  Serial.print("Gas Resistance: ");
  Serial.print(bme.readGas() / 1000.0);
  Serial.println(" KOhms");
  delay(2000);
}

This PlatformIO code configures the BME688 sensor using the Adafruit BME680 library. It reads and prints temperature, pressure, humidity, and gas resistance values to the Serial Monitor every two seconds.

Summary

Wrapping Up BME688

The ESP32 BME688 Environmental Sensor is a powerful environment sensor that offers excellent performance and reliability. With support for multiple development platforms including Arduino, ESP-IDF, ESPHome, PlatformIO, and MicroPython, it's a versatile choice for your IoT projects.