Touch-sensing ICs suit medical apps

Omron Electronic Components developed the B6TS application-ready touch-sensing IC family that measures floating capacitance through most touch panel materials. They are suitable for use in medical products that need to withstand disinfectant cleaning, impervious to liquids and operated by personnel wearing surgical gloves. The B6TS series integrates detecting and processing functions into a single-chip MCU.

The workbench can be operated by any designer with a basic knowledge of digital circuitry for functions including parameter setting, operation monitoring and capacitance calculation. These products are easy to customize, making them suitable for OEMs who produce multiple product variations; and unlike membrane switches, they require no special tooling.

Available in two versions, the 4-channel, SSOP-20 package B6TS-04LT operates on 3-5.5Vdc and the 8-channel, QFP-32 package B6TS-08NF operates on 4.5-5.5Vdc. They both feature high noise-immunity, automatic drift compensation and have an operating temperature range of -20°C to 85°C.

The devices are available today, priced starting at $2.90 each in 1,250-piece quantities.

- Emily Gleason
eeProductCenter