An electronic system includes a pixelated light source having a plurality of individually controllable pixels, a controller operable to control the pixelated light source, a photosensor configured to detect light signals emitted from the pixelated light source, and an analysis unit configured to recognize objects with different properties that pass in range of the pixelated light source and the photosensor, based on the light signals detected by the photosensor. Corresponding object recognition and material analysis methods are also described.