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CapTIvate™ Touch Getting Started Manual
5
Copyright © 2021, Texas Instruments Incorporated
1
Introduction
1.1
Overview
Capacitive touch sensing is a technology that detects when a finger approaches or touches the touch surface
through changes in capacitance. Through capacitive sensing, mechanical switches and knobs can be replaced with
elegant buttons, sliders and scroll wheels to perform:
1.
Wear and reliability decrease after prolonged use.
2.
There is a gap between the front panel and the buttons, which is easy to be penetrated by moisture and
cause defects.
3.
Need to exert force to trigger.
4.
Opening the front panel will increase the cost to a certain extent.
5.
The button shape is relatively fixed.
TI CapTIvate™ capacitive touch technology supports five sensor types: buttons, proximity sensors, scroll wheels,
sliders, and touch panels, and a variety of covering materials. It has the characteristics of low power consumption,
strong and stable induction technology, strong anti-noise ability, and support for waterproof function.
This document is written according to the actual capacitive touch development process, also to help users quickly
understand the full picture of TI CapTIvate™ capacitive touch technology. For the preliminary function evaluation,
it is recommended to read Chapter 1, Chapter 2 and the appendix. For hardware and mechanical structure
development, it is recommended to read Chapter 1, Chapter 2, and Chapter 3. For software development, it is
recommended to read Chapter 2, Chapter 4 and Appendix.
Figure 1-1 Capacitive touch development process
1.2
Introduction to related vocabulary
CapTIvate™: TI’s capacitive touch design
system.
Base capacitance: the parasitic capacitance of the sensor before the finger touches it.
CAP I/O: The pin on MSP430 dedicated to realize capacitive touch function.
