Capacitive Touch Technology Guide

DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS & SOLUTIONS FOR NEXT-GEN DEVICES

Capacitive Touch Technology Guide

A Quick & Easy Guide to Enhance your Product’s Interface by
leveraging Capacitive Touch Technology

Overview
Boyd Corporation has been developing capacitive touch solutions for decades for applications ranging from commercial
appliance to medical devices. With the fundamental shift from tactile feedback towards touch technology, more and more
companies are integrating non-tactile feedback in their device’s user interface. By detecting and utilizing changes in the
projected capacitive field, capacitive sensing technology allows you detect touch and thereby, spin a wide gamut of
contemporary touch interfaces. Capacitive touch technology offers easy cleanability, higher reliability, and compact
designs. This brief guide will walk you through the fundamentals of capacitive touch technology, including the various
construction and integration approaches you can take. It will also equip you with important design and technical
considerations to optimize the performance of your device.

INTRODUCTION
From clunky typewriters to sleek smartphones, tactile feedback in user interfaces has undergone significant
changes in the last few decades. When typewriters were first introduced, they were designed to offer a strong
tactile feedback to the user. The distinct sound and rebound of
the keys after every registration was a crucial facet of the user
experience.

Typewriters gradually paved the path for electronic keyboards.

Once people adapted to using keyboards, the discrete “click”
of every key was no longer important, thus making way for
quieter keyboards. The next development was membrane
switches. While they were initially viewed as a non-compelling
alternative to keyboards because they did not provide the
same feedback as a keyboard, but the addition of metal domes
led to improved feedback, thus propelling their popularity.
Capacitive touch keypad

In recent times, touchscreens have revolutionized the world of

user interface devices and transformed the way we interact with them. From home appliances to airplane
cabins, from vending machines to medical devices, touch technology has truly conquered our lives. As people
have moved toward expecting less and less feedback from their devices, the time is ripe for the adoption of the
flat, noiseless, non-tactile interfaces.
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WHAT IS CAPACITIVE TOUCH?

Capacitive sensing technology works by measuring the change in capacitance within its projected field due to
the presence of a conductive object, such as the human finger. Projected capacitive touch (PCAP) is a method
of using changes in capacitive fields to detect touch and create sleek, modern touch interfaces.

Advantages of Capacitive Touch Technology

In today’s touch-centric era, consumers have not only adapted to non-tactile technologies, but also expect a
broader range of devices to offer this functionality and user experience. Capacitive switches do not have any
moving parts or mechanical components, resulting in superior durability and prolonged life. Since these devices
do not have any crevices, they reduce tooling costs and do not allow any ingress of moisture, dirt, or dust. Their
flat surface also makes it easier to clean them regularly. While mechanical buttons can attract dust and tend to
wear after repeated use over the years, capacitive technology can replace buttons with a clean and crisp user
interface.

Compared to other mature user-interface (UI) technologies, capacitive switches have a thinner stack-up,
resulting in sleek, elegant, and compact designs. They eliminate many design layers and components from the
circuitry, thereby reducing the cost of the device. The images below provide a comparison between the stack-
up layers of the most common UI technologies available in the market today.

Non-tactile membrane switch

Graphic overlay
Adhesive
Top membrane/ top circuit
Top shorting pad Spacer
Bottom membrane/ circuit
Adhesive

Tactile membrane switch

Graphic overlay
Adhesive Elastomer keypad

Spacer
Dome
Bottom membrane/ circuit
Adhesive

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Elastomer keypad
Rubber keypad

Plastic housing

Adhesive
Dome
Carbon shorting pill
Adhesive

Bottom membrane

Top-mounted capacitive switch

Graphic overlay
Adhesive
Capacitive touch circuit
Adhesive

Back-mounted capacitive switch

Graphic overlay
Adhesive
Capacitive touch circuit

Although the early development of capacitive switches utilized only printed circuit boards (PCBs), the design
possibilities have greatly expanded by employing flexible printed circuits. It allows engineers to spin a wide
gamut of design layouts. Capacitive sensor technologies also give you the additional freedom of enhancing the
user experience by integrating feedback mechanism like backlighting or haptics.

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The key advantages of capacitive touch technology include:

▪ No moving mechanics ▪ Higher durability
▪ Thinner stack-up ▪ Design flexibility
▪ Improved reliability ▪ Sleek and modern aesthetics
▪ Easy cleanability ▪ Backlighting and haptics capability

TYPES OF PROJECTED CAPACITANCE

Projected capacitance (PCAP) sensing uses embedded touch detection algorithms in your hardware and firm-
ware to detect changes in capacitive coupling between users and a touch enabled surface to register them as a
switch activation. By defining specific switching thresholds, user interfaces can be optimized to create the level
of sensitivity desired for your unique application. There are many different implementations of capacitive touch
sensors, but the primary approaches to detection are utilizing either self or mutual capacitive sensing.

Self-Capacitive Sensing
Self-capacitive sensing utilizes a projected
capacitive field to detect an increase in Graphic overlay
capacitive charge when a user interacts
Printed circuit
with your device. It is often seen in
conjunction with a shielded layer that Self PCAP field
mitigates crosstalk from the adjacent
switches and makes the parts more robust against electromagnetic interference (EMI). In addition to requiring
less space for circuit routing, these sensors often allow for simplified circuit layouts that help bring down
manufacturing costs. Self-capacitive sensing is widely employed in backlit touch switches with large lit areas.
However, they might face hurdles in sensitive touch applications or while operating in an environment with high
moisture or humidity.

Mutual Capacitive Sensing

Mutual capacitive sensing utilizes a
projected capacitive field between the X and
Graphic overlay
Y lines (also known as the send and receive
lines) and detects a decrease in the charge Printed circuit
of this coupled field when a user interacts
Mutual PCAP field
with your device. This can be an advantage
for devices with a high switch count and a limited number of available pins on your microcontroller, since designs
can be matrixed to utilize fewer pins.

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CAPACITIVE SWITCH CONSTRUCTION

A typical capacitive switch consists of a graphic overlay and a circuit. The graphic overlay, acting as the face of
the circuit underneath, directly interacts with the final user. Hence, striking a synergy between aesthetics and
functionality is crucial here. In most cases, a non-conductive material with high dielectric constant, such as glass,
polycarbonate, polyester, or plastic injected bezel, is selected for the graphic overlay. For optimum
performance, there should be no air gap between the circuit and the overlay. While the early capacitive switches
only utilized PCBs, the popularity of printed flex circuits has greatly propelled the design possibilities.
A standard panel construction could include one of the following options:

• Only PCB - While this can be a cost-effective solution in applications where the design is extremely
simple, this construction does put some restrictions on size, form, and backlighting options.

Graphic overlay

Pressure-sensitive adhesive
PCB (copper touch zones, touch
microcontroller, tuning
circuitry, LED indicators, etc.)

• PCB and Flex Circuit - Allowing more modular designs, this construction gives you the freedom to
mount the circuit to curved and non-planar surfaces. Any changes or adjustments made to the circuit
during the development phase is relatively easy and cost-effective because it doesn’t require
modification of the PCB.
Graphic overlay
Printed touch circuit (conductive
touch zones, printed insulator)

Main PCB control (main device

functionality, touch microcontroller,
tuning circuitry, etc.)

• Touch PCB and Flex Circuit - By employing a peripheral touch PCB, this construction allows the touch
controller to stay close to the touch surface. It is particularly useful when the space is limited to
incorporate the main PCB control close to the overlay.

Graphic overlay
Printed touch circuit (conductive
touch zones, printed insulator)

Peripheral touch PCB (touch

microcontroller, tuning circuitry, LED
indicators, etc.)

Main PCB control (main device

functionality)

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A modern capacitive touch panel design can also include one or more of the following options:
• Backlit Icons - Transparent or translucent printed flexible circuits gives way for discretely lit touch
icons. LEDs allow for change of color state and other modern effects.
Graphic overlay
Printed touch circuit (transparent/
translucent conductive touch zones,
printed conductor/ insulator)

Main PCB control (main device

functionality, touch microcontroller,
LED indicators, tuning circuitry, etc.)

• Curved and Non-Planar Surfaces - Cost-effective printed flex circuits can be laminated to simple
curves, creating surfaces with a more modern form-factor. Discretely lit icons can be easily incorporated
as well.

Graphic overlay

Printed touch circuit (transparent/

translucent conductive touch zones,
printed conductor/ insulator)

Main PCB control (main device

functionality, touch microcontroller,
LED indicators, tuning circuitry, etc.)

Graphic overlay

Printed touch circuit (transparent/

translucent conductive touch zones,
printed conductor/ insulator)

Main PCB control (main device

functionality, touch microcontroller,
LED indicators, tuning circuitry, etc.)

• Unique Touch Surfaces - This option allows the creation for multi-touch surfaces and multi-interface
types from a single flex circuit. Tactile switches can also be incorporated into the same circuit for
additional feedback on critical functions.

Linear slide / variable backlighting

Rotary slide

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TYPES OF INPUT TECHNOLOGY

Expanding your input methods beyond a regular button, capacitive sensing technology lets you combine the
following options in your devices:

Button Wheel Slider Touch pad

• Buttons - A button or a single point of contact, is the simplest form of input. However, the shape, size,
and distance between the buttons on a device does have an affect the performance. For optimal
performance, round or square buttons with rounded corners are commonly seen. The distance between
the buttons and the substrate thickness is crucial to prevent any false detection when the neighboring
button is triggered.
• Wheels and Sliders - Wheels and sliders allow for higher resolution sensing of finger locations.
Multiple sensors are designed to interface with each other in a way that allows the relative signal level
to be used to interpret finger position. These input technologies are useful in devices to perform
functions such as control ling the brightness, adjusting the volume, or scrolling down a list.
• Touch Pads - These allow movement along both the X and Y axes. They give you the flexibility to create
user interactive designs by integrating different gestures seen in a modern-day mobile device like
zooming, pinching, and striking.
By taking advantage of the large sensitive touch electrodes, proximity sensing can also be integrated into your
device. Proximity sensing detects the presence of a large body (such as the hand) even before the user interacts
or touches the device. The signal is triggered as the user arrives in close proximity of the device. They are often
seen in alarm sensors, security systems, home appliances and electronics.

FEEDBACK MECHANISMS

As mentioned earlier, one of the advantages of capacitive touch devices is the ability to add feedback
mechanisms, thereby adding another layer of communication with the end user and improving usability.

• Backlighting - Backlighting is a common

form of visual feedback that is used in
conjunction with capacitive switches to
convey the status of a button or slider to
the user. It is an effective solution for
devices operated in low lit environments. Visual feedback Audio feedback Tactile feedback

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Many lighting options are available in the market today including discrete LEDs, light guide films, and
fiber optic weave. Some of the factors that can help you evaluate the correct backlighting solution for
your device include power requirements, space constraints, area to be backlit and the environment in
which the device will be installed. Backlighting is commonly seen in kitchen appliances and medical
devices.

• Audio Feedback - This is constructed to make different sounds, such as a discrete click, when the user
interacts with the device. Like haptics, it also confirms the registration of keys to the user and prevents
confused interactions. Various sound effects can be integrated depending on the message you wish to
communicate. For example, the user hears a simple click whenever they tap on the correct (desired)
button, hears a beep sound whenever he taps a wrong button, and hears a swoosh sound every time the
interaction is complete.
• Haptics – Have you played a race car video game and felt a vibration on your controller as you hit a
bump on the road? While we can thank the haptics technology for enriching our gaming experience, this
technology has significantly evolved over the years and has found itself new territories to enter. Haptic
technology provides a tactile sensation in the form of a subtle vibration, thus confirming the registration
of the desired key to the user. It is particularly useful when a device is installed in a noisy environment.
The alert vibration that we receive on our smartphones is one of the most popular examples seen in
recent times. By discretely communicating with the user, it avoids any confused interactions. As
touchscreens and capacitive touch have started cropping up in various facet of our lives, the applications
of haptics are broadening to medical devices, consumer electronics, industrial controllers, and car
dashboards to name a few.

INTEGRATING CAPACITIVE TOUCH TECHNOLOGY

There are many approaches that can be used to integrate

capacitive touch into your design. Often the simplest and
most cost-effective approach is laminating a printed
conductive layer to the underside of your touch surface.
This can then be interfaced to the touch microcontroller
through several interconnection methods.
Thin flexible circuits can conform to a variety of surface
geometries, allowing touch sensitive surfaces to fit in areas
that would not be feasible with traditional switches. By
adding an insert molding or over-molding process, touch
sensitive surfaces can be encapsulated in injection molded
plastics, providing extra protection, and simplifying final
integration. Integration of capacitive touch is often driven
by factors including shielding, overlay material, and the Exploded view of a capacitive touch device
location of the main PCB location.

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When connecting the capacitive touch circuits to the microcontrollers, it is important to minimize the distance
from the touch area to the microcontroller by keeping the connection point as close to the microcontroller as
possible. Some of the widely used capacitive touch interconnects include spring pins, solder tabs, Zero Insertion
Force (ZIF) connectors, latching and non-latching connectors, conductive foam, plated springs, and zebra stripes.
While each of these have their own pros and cons, there are several factors that influence the selection of
interconnects such as the circuit type and layout, space constraints, cost, and product application.

ZIF connector Spring pins Solder tabs

Springs Latching & non-latching Conductive foam

FACTORS INFLUENCING DESIGN & PERFORMANCE

While designing capacitive switches, the goal is to minimize external noises and enhance the signal strength for
better performance. There are multiple factors that influence the design of a user interface device with
capacitive sensor technology, each of which is important when examining the cost structure of the switch. In
addition, there are other external interferences that can potentially lead to false triggers and actuations or
prevent the touch from being registered, thus impacting the performance of the device. The presence of water
or moisture, temperature variations, gloved hands, and external noise (from fluorescent lamps, electronic
devices, etc.) remain among the most common issues. It is the interplay of all these internal and external factors
that eventually dictate the design and performance of each capacitive switch device.
Some of the key factors influencing design and performance entail:

• External noise • Operating environment • Firmware

• Feedback system • Product application • Form factor
• Type of input • Operating temperature • Gloved hands
• Substrate materials • Dielectric properties of overlay • Internal noise
• EMI shielding • Electrical requirements • Water & moisture

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Design and Performance Optimization

Depending on the specific application and operating environment, there are various methods of adjusting
capacitive touch performance to match the design intent. Some of the most common ways include:

• Alternate Capacitive Implementations - While self and mutual capacitance are the primary
sensing methods for detecting touch, often the use of features such as a driven shield are required to
address some of the challenges associated with use in harsh environments and external noises. Shielding
traces also help prevent signal crosstalk while minimizing capacitive coupling that can reduce signal
deltas. By combining self-capacitive sensing with a driven shield, more resilience from internal noise
sources and better moisture resistance can be achieved.

By coupling an embedded self-capacitive touch sensor with a grounded conductive top plane and a
flexible spacer layer, changes in capacitive signal when the touch surface is deflected can be detected.
However, these designs can be more complicated and switch locations can be restricted by the material
properties of the top plane material. This approach is often used in outdoor applications where gloves
and standing moisture are expected.

• Switching Thresholds - Capacitive touch switches typically work by establishing a baseline level of
capacitance and then monitoring the change (delta) between this level and the capacitance imparted
when the user interacts with the touch sensor. As seen in the picture below, a switching threshold can
be defined to determine what level of delta constitutes an intentional touch. Gain levels on touch sensors
can also be adjusted to selectively increase touch deltas for less sensitive areas. As the gain increases,
the level of signal noise can also increase. Defined switching thresholds needs to take this increased
signal noise into account.
Signal

Samples

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• Adjacent Key Suppression - Adjacent key suppression can be used effectively to help avoid
unwanted activations of adjacent switches. Adjacent key groups can be defined to allow for multiple
switches to be activated at the same time if needed, while avoiding false activations in critical areas.

• Reducing Crosstalk and Improving Sensitivity - Circuit designs often need to be tuned once initial
performance has been evaluated. Crosstalk can be caused by inadequate shielding between switches
and touch lines, but excessive shielding can adversely impact switch sensitivity. Careful placement of
ground traces and ground shielding crosshatches can help to shield areas of concern from crosstalk
without excessive switch desensitization. Touch sensor patterns can also be adjusted to further optimize
performance and sensitivity.

APPLICATIONS OF CAPACITIVE TOUCH TECHNOLOGY

With the shift towards touch technology, an increasing number of companies are flocking towards integrating
capacitive touch in their products. Given the host of advantages that capacitive sensors bring to your user
interface, they are deployed in a wide array of industries such as medical, automotive, consumer electronics
and appliances, aerospace, instrumentation, and industrial controllers. Common applications of capacitive
touch technology include smartphones and tablets, home appliances and electronics, medical devices, car
consoles, ATM machines, gaming consoles, vending machines, security and communication systems, hand-held
devices, electronic sensors, fluid-level sensing machines, proximity sensors, and even airplane cabins.

Applications of capacitive touch technology

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WHAT’S NEXT?

The demand for capacitive switches is growing and will continue to do so as we migrate towards a non-tactile
world. Capacitive touch technology brings together a blend of enhanced usability, modern aesthetics, and gives
you the freedom to augment user experience by adding various visual and audio feedback mechanisms.
Compared to membrane switches and elastomer keypads, capacitive sensing offers several advantages
including thinner stack ups, easy cleanability and improved durability.

If you are looking to enhance your product’s user interface without tipping the scales out of your budget, look
no further than capacitive touch. Start by contacting Boyd Corporation to discuss your current design challenges
or learn more about capacitive switch technology. With decades of expertise and manufacturing experience,
Boyd Corporation is here to help you integrate multiple technologies into a streamlined product.

To receive more information, please visit www.boydcorp.com.

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