Projected-Capacitive Touch Controllers Reduce Power In Human-Interface Designs

A new projected-capacitive controller from Microchip facilitates design integration of capacitive scanning for touchscreens and touchpads, including 11 single-finger gestures to swipe, scroll, or double tap. When using the MTCH6102 controller, scalable solutions can support printed-circuit-board (PCB), indium-tin-oxide (ITO), or fingerprint-card (FPC) sensors up to 15 channels. It takes on plastic cover lenses up to 3 mm and glass lenses up to 5 mm. The device supports configurable sleep/idle frame rates to optimize most power budgets with an active mode that will drop to 12 µA. A free Configuration Utility helps speed customization, and a firmware library delivers further optimization and control if needed. Applications include remote controls, gaming devices, headphones and other wearables, as well as automotive interior controls and control panels. For further support, the company offers the “Low-Power Projected-Capacitive Touch Pad Development Kit.”

MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INC.