Microchip Technology AC164127-3 Data Sheet

Microchip Human Interface Solutions

mTouch capacitive touch solutions allow users to work with a 

variety of plastic or glass overlays to finish their user interface 

designs. With metal over cap technology users can also:

   

■

Use polished or brushed metal surfaces including 

stainless steel and aluminium

   

■

Sense through gloves 

   

■

Create water-proof designs

   

■

Deploy Braille-friendly interfaces

The front panel and the sensor create 

a capacitor. When the user presses the 

key, the distance between both plates will 

decrease slightly, increasing the capacitor 

value. Thanks to their high SNR (Signal to 

Noise Ratio) and stability over voltage and 

temperature, mTouch sensing solutions allow the detection of 

deflection as low as 10 μm.
Metal Over Cap Technology can be implemented with the 

same hardware, PCB and electronics, and SW as capacitive 

touch technology. 

The Enhanced mTouch Capacitive 

Evaluation Kit provides a simple platform 

for developing a variety of capacitive 

touch sense applications using 8, 16 

and 32-bit PIC microcontrollers. The kit 

contains:

   

■

8-key sensor board direct interface

   

■

12-key matrix sensor board 

   

■

4-channel slider sensor board 

   

■

2-channel slider sensor board 

   

■

Four PIC MCU processor boards:
•    PIC16F1937, PIC18F46J50, PIC24FJ64GB106 and 

PIC32MX795F512H

   

■

Diagnostic GUI to analyze touch sensor data 

real-time via USB

   

■

PICkit™ Serial Analyzer

Additional available processor boards:

   

■

PIC24H mTouch Capacitive Touch Evaluation Board* 

(AC243026)

   

■

PIC32 CTMU Evaluation Board (AC323027)

   

■

The AC182036 kit contains two

     daughter boards showcasing 

     Metal Over Cap technology.

     One board has a stainless 

steel cover while the other one has a plastic one.

   

■

It provides an easy way to evaluate Microchip’s unique 

technology, when used in conjunction with the mTouch 

Capacitive Touch Evaluation Kit (DM183026-2).

Microchip provides a fully developed and tested SW 

package. It features:

   

■

Source code available

   

■

Keys, slider and wheel support

   

■

Matrix

   

■

Proximity detection with specifi c algorithm offering great 

range and low power

   

■

Available for 8,16 and 32-bits

   

■

Low Power
•    Capacitive sensing in less than 5 μA
•    Proximity sensing down to less than 1 μA

   

■

Gesture

   

■

Several output mode like direct or toggle mode as well 

as serial communication

   

■

Easy to integrate with Microchip libraries such as 

Graphics or USB

   

■

Two way communication with PC or Master

   

■

Works with PCB or ITO sensors

Specific noise features include:

   

■

High Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR)

   

■

Differential touch sensing mode

   

■

Adjacent button rejection or “most-pressed” options

   

■

Active Guard Ring support

   

■

Self and mutual measurement

   

■

Automatic environmental compensation

   

■

Various proprietary noise fi ltering algorithms

   

■

, 

AN1334

   

■

 

AN1325

   

■

, 

AN1317

   

■

, 

AN1298

   

■

, 

AN1250

   

■

, 

AN1254