Object detected using reflective photodetector help needed

Other Hardware Sensors
1

I hope to design a project that can detect and object placed 1/2 inch in front of it. The object is a small brown box and I was thinking of using this reflective optical sensor: OPB733TR TT Electronics/Optek Technology | Sensors, Transducers | DigiKey

The sensor output could be connected to the A2D pin of an Arduino. When the brown object is placed in front, a threshold level is reached and the object is detected.

Problems I may see are:

-the brown box might absorb the light so nothing is ever detected. Is another type of reflective sensor recommended? It has to be small an inexpensive.

-direct sunlight on the sensor could disable it. Possibly pulsing the transmitted light and looking only for the pulsed reflected light would work?

Any feedback would be helpful.

2

Use a high intensity LED as the light source.
Place the sensor in a tube to make it directional.
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