TouchNetix has released the AX54A-Force, a single touch-sensing chip to add touch functionality to surfaces, touch button clusters and other solutions. The product features a unique and integrated force-sensing technology which provides accurate and highly sensitive force-sensing data to the user interface (UI). The AX54A offers a high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) enabling precise detection with high precision. It can accurately take inputs from 0.1 Newton (10g) to 20 Newton (2000g). It utilises a unique and Integrated Force-Sensing Technology, which enables the detection of a wide range of forces thus making it suitable for a wide range of applications.
According to the company, the chip is a part of the aXiom family of user interface chips, the chip also offers a unique and patented force-sensing technology which is suitable for automotive and industrial markets. The aXiom lineup also enables touchless user interfaces by detecting the fingers above touch surfaces. The User Interface using aXiom technology can utilize Force-Sensing to verify the user intent by requiring an additional press and therefore avoiding inaccurate touch instructions from an errant finger in a moving vehicle. By combining the multi-force technology with parallel multi-touch measurements, the aXiom HMI chips offer safety-enhancing systemic redundancy from two separate sensor measurement systems. Apart from being highly accurate and sensitive, the force-sensing technology is easy to integrate into the system. Moreover, it utilizes low-cost, off-the-shelf components to make the designing process simple and smooth. It can easily be integrated into the automobiles as the product is automotive qualified according to AEC-Q100.
Gaute Myklebust, Chief Technology Officer of TouchNetix commented, “Many customers realize the safety-enhancing advantage of having redundant Touch and Force detection in their systems. Moreover, our easy-to-use and low-cost Force-Sensing solution offer the additional confirmation action you require in modern automotive and industrial HMI solutions, to confirm the user intent for specific functions.”
