Pittsford, NY: QT1106 is a unique touch-sensing and control IC providing the functionality of a touch slider or wheel with seven additional keys. Constructing a highly reliable wheel or slider uses QT1106 with a simple, inexpensive sensing element between three connection points. The device detects a single rapid touch anywhere along the sense elements, or tracks a finger moving along the wheel or slider surface in real-time. In both instances, absolute position is detected. QT1106 can also interface with seven additional touch keys, which can be independently tuned for sensitivity, allowing QT1106 to be the basis of a complete user interface for any application in which a mechanical wheel, slider or switch would normally be used. But QT1106’s “QT-touch” technology costs less to implement, allows greater design freedom and cannot wear-out, thus offering improved reliability. Target applications include mobile phones, remote controls, small kitchen appliances, home audio, portable media players (including MP3 players) and lighting controls.
QT1106’s sensing technology allows electrodes to be made from any conductive material, which projects sense fields through any dielectric—most commonly plastic or glass. An approaching finger causes a change in the sense field, registering a touch event. Unlike traditional capacitive touch sensors, QT sensors feature automatic self-calibration on power-up. This eliminates long-term drift problems due to build up of contaminants on the touch surface or changing environmental conditions. A flexible low power mode enables system designers to optimize the trade-off between response time and power consumption.
QT1106 uses spread-spectrum burst technology to provide better than 20V/m noise rejection and minimize EMI. QT1106 has an SPI interface and features a sync mode to enable synchronization with other similar parts, or with an external source, to suppress interference. Patented adjacent key suppression (AKS) prevents multiple keys responding to a single touch. AKS works by comparing the relative signal strength from each key within a group and suppresses touch detections from keys showing a weaker signal change than the dominant one. Close spacing of keys can therefore be used, without introducing touch errors.
Designed in UK by European capacitive-sensing specialists Quantum Research Group, QT1106 comes in an RoHS-compliant, 32-QFN package and operates from a single 2.8-5V supply. QT1106 is available from stock from Saelig Co. (USA distributor for Quantum Research UK) at less than $1.00 (100K).
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