Printec USA Releases Tactile Capacitive Keypad Sample |
Printec Electronics Co., Inc.
271 Waverly Oaks Rd.
Waltham, MA, 02452
USA
Press release date: January 23, 2012
Printec USA, a global leader in design and manufacturing of Human Machine Interface devices, today announces a Tactile Capacitive Keypad solution. This prototype is a joint engineering development effort between Atmel Corporation and Printec USA. The construction incorporates several capacitive keypad functions in conjunction with a tactile key feedback response. Proximity sensing technology incorporated into each key, offers dual functionality in a single switch. The Atmel® controller senses when the user makes contact with the surface of an embossed key. This user contact can be used to enable backlighting or power up functions. The actuation of the switch dome will drive a separate switch function. The tactile embossing gives reassurance to the operator that a switch function has been performed. The proximity sensors can be designed to detect user interaction at distances of up to 10 inches. The Atmel® AVR®XMEGA® ATxMega64 controller chip also supports a capacitive wheel which is located at the center of the keypad. In addition, this controller supports a variety of switch formats and options such as capacitive sliders as well as display and LED controls.
Atmel offers market-proven touch technology for implementing capacitive buttons, sliders and wheels, as well as proximity sensing on many different conductive sensors (from copper to ITO) for any user interface where touch-sensitivity is desired. These integrated circuits (ICs) enhance the user experience with excellent precision and reliability. They also deliver superb low-power characteristics, a critical requirement for today's battery-powered handheld and mobile devices. The technology supports simple 1 to 10 button configurations as well as more complex scanned-matrix configurations of up to 48 buttons- at a very low cost per button. In addition to the application-specific products, Atmel offers the QTouch® Library for embedding buttons, sliders and wheels functionality into the industry-leading Atmel AT91SAM and AVR® microcontrollers.
Printec has also integrated a Clad Flat Fiber (CFF) back light solution into the prototype construction. This backlight solution offered by Lumitex, Inc. provides superior light output for uniform backlighting applications in a low profile package. The CFF design is ideal for extending the battery life of portable devices as large areas can be backlit with a minimal quantity of LED's.
As a leader in the HMI industry, Printec continues to push the boundaries of input device design by developing new technologies, new materials and combining them to support growing customer requirements. These types of capacitive switch constructions are ideal for cost effective and reliable applications in the automotive, computing, consumer, industrial, medical and white and brown goods requiring proximity capability.
Established 1992, Printec USA is a privately held sales, logistics and engineering support extension of our Taiwan manufacturing headquarters. Printec USA has East Coast Operations in Waltham, MA, and West Coast Sales and Manufacturing in Anaheim, CA. Printec offers services for high volume, low volume and prototype projects. Our product line includes membrane switches, flex circuits, touch screens, integrated touch screens & LCDs, In Mold Design (IMD), overlays/labels, support panels/enclosures and full turnkey DFM solutions. Printec is a global suppler specializing in manufacturing high quality products for the medical, military, aerospace, homeland security, alternative energy, electronics, automotive and various other industrial markets. Printec offers a full suite of design, prototyping and intellectual property services, as well as a complete range of manufacturing capabilities from concept inception through final design packaging. Printec also has sales, engineering and manufacturing in Southern China and Europe.
Printec USA 271 Waverley Oaks Road Suite 208 Waltham, MA 02452 Info@printec-usa.com www.printec-usa.com
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