Touchscreen solution ups accuracy, lowers power

Synaptics introduced its advanced multi-touch ClearPad 3000 Series capacitive touch sensor solution. This latest offering combines the company's ClearPad sensing technology with an end-to-end solution stack to make it easy for OEMs and ODMs of mass-market mobile handsets and other handheld devices to integrate high-resolution capacitive touchscreens with basic gesture capability into their products, bringing them to market faster and with less risk.

With its ability to distinguish up to 10 simultaneous finger touches and complex multi-finger gestures (e.g., pinch, pivot rotate, and rotate) with fine accuracy and low latency, the ClearPad 3000 Series sensors are ready for the next generation of 3D graphical user interfaces. The sensors are based on proprietary technology that features 48 sensing channels and advanced power management, allowing for larger screen sizes (up to 8 in. diagonally) with more accurate sensing and low power consumption (5 mA in full active mode, 150 μA nominal, and 12 μA in deep sleep mode). The sensors feature an accuracy of ±1 mm and are 0.40 mm thick. Engineered to be nearly borderless, it offers a thin, low-profile design that lets OEMs create more compact solutions using any industry standard LCD display.

A comprehensive suite of software tools is available. Engineering samples for general release will be available in November 2009. For more information, go to www.synaptics.com/solutions/products/clearpad.