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Microchip’s Screen Controller Allows Touchless Interfacing

June 30, 2015 by Jennifer A. Diffley

Microchip's new solutions can detect hand gestures in free space.

Microchip's new solutions can detect hand gestures in free space.

Microchip Technology just announced an addition to its Human Interface Solutions portfolio: the MTCH6303--an innovative, turnkey projected-capacitive touch controller for touch pads and screens--brings familiar hand gestures like zooming and pinching to embedded design. 

Microchip's sensors are poised to bring about technology that resembles something out of Minority Report: the MTCH6303 solution has the ability to support 3D hand gestures--which means it detects when users are interacting with it via natural hand and finger movements in free space, like conducting a technological orchestra. Designers can create interface controls that can not only be directly touched, but can be commanded from afar. The MTCH6303 comes with ready-to-go touch and gesture solutions for everything from home automation to office equipment. 

 

 

“Microchip offers exciting new options for customers to enhance their user-interface designs with innovative gesture control and multi-touch, using the new MTCH6303 turnkey projected-capacitive touch screen controller,” said Dr. Roland Aubauer, director of Microchip’s Human-Machine Interface Division. “Designers can develop touch screens with noise-robust performance, fast and smooth finger tracking, high signal levels and the ability to add 3D gesturing.”

The MTCH6303 uses Microchip's Multi-Touch Projected Capacitive Touch Screen Development Kit, which comes with free software. There's no doubt about how compelling this news is, as it heralds a future that can detect human interfacing without direct contact. Soon, we'll be living in a world in which everything from our appliances to our cars can detect when our hand gestures are controlling them and respond accordingly.

 

SOURCE: Microchip