Product • 15.04.2008

Enhanced MicroTouch EX II 7000 Series USB Touch Controllers from 3M

Controllers Optimised for HID Interface and MicroTouch MT7 Software

When display integrators or device manufacturers develop interactive touch products, they require electronics engineered to meet their need for fast, accurate and reliable touch response. To help meet these requirements, 3M Touch Systems today introduces two new capacitive touch sensor controllers based on its industry-leading MicroTouch EX II electronics platform. These new MicroTouch EX II 7000 series USB controllers, when combined with MicroTouch ClearTek II and ToughTouch II capacitive touch sensors from 3M, provide integrators with high-performance, easy-to-integrate touch electronics, as well as featuring enhanced levels of CRFI (Conducted Radio Frequency Immunity), Wake-on-Touch functionality, and increased MTBF (Mean Time Between Failure) specifications to greater than 700k hours.

EX II 7000 series USB controllers now offer enhanced CRFI levels to help reduce the chance that other system electronics, communication or power lines will impact the touch system’s performance, and can help product developers shorten their design cycles and create more robust products.

Also, these controllers now support the USB suspend mode which enables wake-on-touch functionality. When a system in suspend mode is activated by a touch, wake-on-touch restores the entire system to full power mode and operation. This enhanced function allows developers to power manage their systems to help customers reduce energy consumption, as well as extend the life of critical system components, such as the LCD backlights.

“As a touch industry leader, 3M is committed to providing customers with the best touch components available in the market,” says Francesco Fasoglio, European Business Manager, 3M Touch Systems. “These enhanced EX II USB controllers make the industry-leading ClearTek II capacitive touch system even more robust and versatile to meet customer needs.”

The specifics on these new MicroTouch 7000 series USB controllers are:

• The EX II 7730HC USB controller features fully-compliant USB HID electronics and firmware, which allow the touch system to be used without installing a touch driver. For customers or applications that do not require the sophisticated touch mode selections and multi-monitor features of the MicroTouch MT7 software package, this HID solution is ideal for easy system integration and maintenance.
   
• The EX II 7760UC USB controller provides integrators already using MicroTouch EX II electronics with these new robust features and is backward compatible to support existing product lines and programs.

3M Touch Systems provides fast, reliable and accurate touch products to customers worldwide under the MicroTouch brand. Popular interactive applications include casino gaming, retail point of sale, food service, hospitality, self-service, mobile handheld and interactive signage. For more information about MicroTouch products, visit www.3M.com/uk/touch.

channels: touch screens