The only reason I can think of for wanting an iffy intensity signal is to determine distance to the target.
This is more reliably done by triangulation, either using two sensors, at least one of which can be turned relative to the other, or one taking two readings of the same thing at different points along a baseline. (Aren't Physics fun ? this is about How the 'Eye' "Sees = locates" an Object (in space).)
Once you have two different signals, you can look up in a table, or grind out a computation in PBASIC (using the numeric co-processor on board the Stamp
for greater accuracy.)