TOUCH

SENSOR
'CAUSE YOU'VE BEEN SO OUT OF TOUCH, TOUCH, TOUCH, TOUCH,
TOUCH!

ASHLYNN R. PENDILLA
 WHAT IS A TOUCH
SENSOR?
To u c h s e n s o r s a re e l e c t ro n i c d e v i c e s d e s i g n e d
t o d e t e c t a n d re g i s t e r p h y s i c a l t o u c h o r n e a r
p rox i m i t y. T h e y f u n c t i o n b y e n a b l i n g a n o b j e c t
or device to sense physical contact, typically
f ro m a h u m a n u s e r , a n d a re c o m m o n l y k n o w n
a s t a c t i l e s e n s o r s . T h e s e s e n s o r s a c t l i ke a
s w i t c h , a c t i v a t i n g w h e n t o u c h e d , p re s s e d , o r
s u b j e c t e d t o f o rc e , a n d re v e r t i n g t o a n o p e n
s t a t e w h e n c o n t a c t i s re m o v e d . T h e y a re
i n c re a s i n g l y i n t e g r a t e d i n t o v a r i o u s e l e c t ro n i c
d e v i c e s a n d s y s t e m s , p ro v i d i n g a n i n t u i t i v e
u s e r i n t e r f a c e i n p ro d u c t s s u c h a s m o b i l e
phones, re m o t e c o n t ro l s , and appliance
c o n t ro l p a n e l s .
 LET'S COMPARE!
DIGITAL ANALOG
WHAT IS A DIGITAL TOUCH
SENSOR?
D i g i t a l t o u c h s e n s o r s p ro v i d e b i n a r y i n f o rm a t i o n , m e a n i n g t h e y h a v e
t w o p o s s i b l e v a l u e s o r s t a t e s , t y p i c a l l y re p re s e n t e d a s " o n / o ff , "
" 0 / 1 , " o r " T R U E / FA L S E " . T h e s e s t a t e s a re u s u a l l y re p re s e n t e d
electrically by two distinct voltage levels, such as a high voltage
(e.g., 3.0V or 5.0V) and a low voltage (e.g., 0V). A touch sensor that
f u n c t i o n s a s a s i m p l e s w i t c h , d e t e c t i n g o n l y w h e t h e r i t i s p re s s e d o r
n o t , i s a c o m m o n ex a m p l e o f a d i g i t a l s e n s o r. D i g i t a l t o u c h s e n s o r s
a re w e l l - s u i t e d f o r a p p l i c a t i o n s w h e re t h e p re s e n c e o f a n o b j e c t o r
w h e t h e r a l i m i t v a l u e h a s b e e n re a c h e d n e e d s t o b e i n d i c a t e d . Fo r
i n s t a n c e , a d i g i t a l c a p a c i t i v e t o u c h s e n s o r d e t e c t s t o u c h t h ro u g h
m a t e r i a l s l i ke c l o t h o r p a p e r a n d c a n p ro v i d e a s i m p l e o n / o ff s w i t c h
o u t p u t f o r A rd u i n o p ro j e c t s . M o d u l e s b a s e d o n t o u c h - s e n s i n g I C s l i ke
t h e TT P 2 2 3 B t y p i c a l l y o u t p u t a l o w s i g n a l i n t h e n o rm a l s t a t e a n d a
h i g h s i g n a l w h e n t o u c h e d . D i g i t a l s e n s o r s a re g e n e r a l l y l e s s
s u s c e p t i b l e t o n o i s e b e c a u s e t h e i r s i g n a l s a re d i s c re t e a n d c a n b e
fi l t e re d m o re e a s i l y.
 PIN ASSIGNMENT

MODEL: TTP23 CAPACITIVE TOUCH SENSOR

WHAT IS AN ANALOG TOUCH
SENSOR?
A n a l o g t o u c h s e n s o r s p ro v i d e a c o n t i n u o u s r a n g e o f v a l u e s r a t h e r
t h a n j u s t t w o s t a t e s , o ff e r i n g i n fi n i t e re s o l u t i o n . T h e s e s e n s o r s
g e n e r a t e a c o n t i n u o u s o u t p u t s i g n a l , o ft e n a v o l t a g e o r c u rre n t , t h a t
i s d i re c t l y p ro p o r t i o n a l t o t h e p h y s i c a l q u a n t i t y b e i n g m e a s u re d ,
s u c h a s t h e i n t e n s i t y o f t o u c h . Fo r ex a m p l e , a c a p a c i t i v e t o u c h
s e n s o r c a n o u t p u t a n a n a l o g v o l t a g e t h a t c h a n g e s a s a fi n g e r i s
placed on it, with typical voltage ranges varying based on the
p re s e n c e a n d p re s s u re o f a fi n g e r. Re s i s t i v e t o u c h s c re e n s , w h i l e
s o m e c a n b e d i g i t a l , o ft e n f u n c t i o n a s a n a l o g t o u c h s c re e n s b y
re s p o n d i n g t o c o n t i n u o u s a n d v a r i a b l e p re s s u re , w h i c h a l l o w s f o r
h i g h e r re s o l u t i o n s a n d p e n re c o g n i t i o n . A n a l o g s e n s o r s a re g e n e r a l l y
m o re s u s c e p t i b l e t o n o i s e i n t e r f e re n c e b e c a u s e o f t h e i r c o n t i n u o u s
n a t u re . I f c o n t i n u o u s s i g n a l s a re e s s e n t i a l f o r a n a p p l i c a t i o n , a n
a n a l o g s e n s o r i s o ft e n t h e m o re s u i t a b l e c h o i c e .
 PIN ASSIGNMENT

MODEL: KY-036 METAL TOUCH SENSOR

THERE ARE THREE TYPES
OF TOUCH SENSORS
 RESISTIVE TOUCH SENSOR
Re s i s t i v e t o u c h s e n s o r s
operate by detecting changes
i n e l e c t r i c a l re s i s t a n c e w h e n
p re s s u re i s a p p l i e d t o t h e i r
surface. These sensors
g e n e r a l l y s u p p o r t s i n g l e - fi n g e r
t o u c h a n d b a s i c g e s t u re s .
Despite seemingly limited
f u n c t i o n s c o m p a re d t o o t h e r
t y p e s , t h e y re m a i n a c o s t -
e ff e c t i v e a n d u s e f u l t e c h n o l o g y
i n c u rre n t a p p l i c a t i o n s .
 CAPACITIVE TOUCH SENSOR
A c a p a c i t i v e t o u c h s e n s o r i s a n e l e c t ro n i c
device that detects touch by sensing
alterations in capacitance. This change
o c c u r s w h e n a h u m a n fi n g e r o r a
c o n d u c t i v e s t y l u s m a ke s c o n t a c t w i t h t h e
t o u c h s c re e n s u r f a c e , t h e re b y a l t e r i n g t h e
capacitance between two electrical
p l a t e s . C a p a c i t i v e s c re e n s a re k n o w n f o r
t h e i r a b i l i t y t o d e t e c t m u l t i p l e fi n g e r s
s i m u l t a n e o u s l y , w h i c h m a ke s t h e m
s u i t a b l e f o r d e v i c e s re q u i r i n g m u l t i - t o u c h
g e s t u re s s u c h a s z o o m i n g a n d s c ro l l i n g .
T h e y a re a l s o m o re d u r a b l e a n d re s i s t a n t
to scratches because their operation does
n o t re l y o n p re s s u re - s e n s i t i v e d o m e s .
 INFRARED TOUCH SENSOR
A n i n f r a re d ( I R ) t o u c h s e n s o r o p e r a t e s
by establishing a grid of invisible IR
l i g h t b e a m s a c ro s s a s c re e n . T h e s e
b e a m s a re e m i t t e d a n d d e t e c t e d b y
s e n s o r s s t r a t e g i c a l l y p l a c e d a ro u n d
the display's edges. When an opaque
o b j e c t , s u c h a s a u s e r ' s fi n g e r o r a
s t y l u s , m a ke s c o n t a c t w i t h t h e s c re e n ,
i t d i s r u p t s t h i s I R l i g h t g r i d a t s p e c i fi c
p o i n t s . T h e s y s t e m t h e n p re c i s e l y
c a l c u l a t e s t h e ex a c t l o c a t i o n o f t h e
t o u c h b a s e d o n w h i c h b e a m s w e re
i n t e rr u p t e d . T h i s t e c h n o l o g y i s h i g h l y
v e r s a t i l e , a s i t d o e s n o t re l y o n
p h y s i c a l p re s s u re o r e l e c t r i c a l
conductivity, making it compatible
with various input types, including
gloved hands or non-conductive tools.
MORE EXAMPLES:
 MORE EXAMPLES:

RESISTIVE
INFRARED
 INPUT CHARACTERISTICS:
• R e s i s t i v e To u c h S e n s o r s : T h e s e s e n s o r s p r i m a r i l y re c e i v e i n p u t t h ro u g h t h e
a p p l i c a t i o n o f p re s s u re t o t h e i r s u r f a c e . T h i s p re s s u re c a u s e s t h e i n t e rn a l c i rc u i t o f t h e
s e n s o r t o c l o s e , t h e re b y c h a n g i n g t h e e l e c t r i c a l re s i s t a n c e .

• C a p a c i t i v e To u c h S e n s o r s : I n p u t f o r c a p a c i t i v e t o u c h s e n s o r s i s d e t e c t e d t h ro u g h a
c h a n g e i n c a p a c i t a n c e . T h i s o c c u r s w h e n a h u m a n fi n g e r o r a c o n d u c t i v e s t y l u s , w h i c h
a re c o n d u c t i v e o b j e c t s , m a ke s c o n t a c t w i t h o r a p p ro a c h e s t h e t o u c h s c re e n s u r f a c e .
T h e i n t e r a c t i o n d r a w s a s m a l l a m o u n t o f c u rre n t f ro m t h e s e n s o r , a l t e r i n g i t s
e l e c t ro s t a t i c fi e l d o r c a p a c i t a n c e .

• I n f r a r e d To u c h S e n s o r s : T h e s e s e n s o r s d e t e c t i n p u t w h e n a n o b j e c t , s u c h a s a
fi n g e r , o b s t r u c t s a n i n f r a re d b e a m w i t h i n t h e s e n s i n g a re a . P h y s i c a l t o u c h i s n o t
n e c e s s a r y ; s i m p l y p o s i t i o n i n g a fi n g e r w i t h i n t h e a re a i s s u ffi c i e n t .
 OUTPUT CHARACTERISTICS:
• R e s i s t i v e To u c h S e n s o r s : W h e n p re s s u re i s a p p l i e d , t h e c i rc u i t o f a re s i s t i v e t o u c h s e n s o r
c l o s e s , s t o p p i n g c u rre n t fl o w. C o n v e r s e l y , re m o v i n g t h e p re s s u re o p e n s t h e c i rc u i t , a l l o w i n g
c u rre n t t o fl o w a g a i n . T h i s c h a n g e i n c u rre n t fl o w c a n b e i n t e r p re t e d t o p e r f o rm v a r i o u s
a c t i o n s , s u c h a s m o v i n g a n o n - s c re e n c u r s o r , d r a w i n g , o r p l a y i n g a v i d e o g a m e . T h e s e o u t p u t s
a re t y p i c a l l y b i n a r y , i n d i c a t i n g a n " o n / o ff " o r " p re s s e d / n o t p re s s e d " s t a t e .

• C a p a c i t i v e To u c h S e n s o r s : T h e o u t p u t o f c a p a c i t i v e t o u c h s e n s o r s i s a m e a s u re d c h a n g e i n
c a p a c i t a n c e , w h i c h i n d i c a t e s t h e p re s e n c e o f a t o u c h . Fo r b a s i c a p p l i c a t i o n s , t h i s m i g h t b e a
s i m p l e " o n / o ff " d i g i t a l s i g n a l . M o re a d v a n c e d c a p a c i t i v e s e n s o r s , e s p e c i a l l y t h o s e u s e d i n
m u l t i - t o u c h s c re e n s , p ro v i d e p re c i s e c o o rd i n a t e d a t a ( X , Y p o s i t i o n s ) f o r s i n g l e o r m u l t i p l e
t o u c h p o i n t s . T h i s e n a b l e s c o m p l ex g e s t u re s l i ke z o o m i n g , s c ro l l i n g , a n d ro t a t i o n . S o m e
s e n s o r s c a n a l s o o u t p u t i n f o rm a t i o n re l a t e d t o t h e p re s s u re o r s i z e o f t h e t o u c h a re a b a s e d o n
the magnitude of capacitance change.

• I n f r a r e d To u c h S e n s o r s : T h e o u t p u t o f i n f r a re d t o u c h s e n s o r s i s a s i g n a l g e n e r a t e d w h e n t h e
i n f r a re d b e a m i s o b s t r u c t e d b y a t o u c h o r p rox i m i t y. T h e s e s e n s o r s c a n s u p p o r t m u l t i - t o u c h
a n d v a r i o u s g e s t u re s , a l l o w i n g f o r v e r s a t i l e a p p l i c a t i o n s o n l a rg e d i s p l a y s . S i n c e t h e re i s n o
p h y s i c a l c o n t a c t , t h e i r o u t p u t i s n o t a ff e c t e d b y w e a r a n d t e a r.
THANK YOU!
YOU COULD'VE HAD MY LOVE!
BUT YOU'VE BEEN SO OUT OF TOUCH!

ASHLYNN R. PENDILLA