Microchip Launches New Turnkey Capacitive Touch Controllers

Turnkey touch controllers are a fast and easy way to upgrade from mechanical buttons to modern touch buttons or displays. With the launch of its 12-button MTCH2120 touch controller, Microchip Technology is providing product designers with a straightforward pathway for implementing touch button capabilities on user interfaces. The new touch controller comes with a comprehensive ecosystem of tools to streamline development and speed time to market.

AAC Technologies announced a strategic partnership with UltraSense Systems to explore the company's SmartSurface tactile interfaces to create holistic touch experience solutions for automotive and consumer electronics markets. As consumers demand more intuitive touch interfaces, the AAC and UltraSense partnership can help accelerate the industry transition from mechanical buttons to solid-state digital buttons.

Azoteq recently expanded its offering to the TWS market with the release of the IQS323. The IQS323 offers capacitive and inductive sensing as user interface and in-ear-detection, whilst the IQS7222A IC is a multifunctional capacitive, inductive, and Hall-effect sensor with additional temperature sensing for reference tracking. The IQS7222A is offered in a 1.62 x 1.62mm WLCSP and allows you to add a touch-and-swipe interface, wear detection, docking detection and your choice of an inductive waterproof button or the inductive force-sensing features.

Azoteq recently released its second-generation four-in-one chip for earbuds. The IQS7222A IC is a multifunctional capacitive, inductive, and Hall-effect sensor with additional temperature sensing for reference tracking. The 1.62 x 1.62 mm chip allows you to add a touch-and-swipe interface, wear detection, docking detection and your choice of an inductive waterproof button or the inductive force-sensing features.

As the Internet of Things (IoT) delivers greater connectivity for industrial and home applications and as connected vehicles enhance cabin and operational features, higher-performance microcontrollers are required for better real-time control as well as to enable enhanced human machine interface applications. Microchip Technology announced its next generation AVR DA family of microcontrollers (MCUs) – its first Functional Safety Ready AVR MCU family with Peripheral Touch Controller (PTC).

Microchip Technology announced a new 2D Touch Surface library that enables designers to easily implement touch pads using the company’s 8-bit PIC and AVR microcontrollers (MCUs) and 32-bit SAM MCUs. Available free of charge with the purchase of any compatible MCU, the library provides a simplified, low-cost solution for embedded applications, making possible to add taps, swipes, pinch and zoom to headphones and other consumer electronics devices at no additional cost.