This breakout board offers a simple solution for creating a project with a single "toggle" capacitive touch sensor. No microcontroller is needed—just provide power between 1.8 to 5.5VDC and touch the pad to activate the sensor.
The sensor functions as a toggle output: touch to turn on, touch again to turn off. When a capacitive load (like a person’s touch) is detected, the red LED alternates between on and off, while the output pin toggles between high and low. This makes it ideal for projects where you want to activate something with the first touch and deactivate it with the second, similar to a switch. You can also solder a wire to the middle pad to create a custom capacitive pad if the built-in one doesn’t fit your needs.
For power saving, the LED can be disconnected from the output pin by cutting the trace marked for this purpose. The board is designed with an infinite timeout, meaning the sensor will stay active until you manually deactivate it. However, if you prefer an automatic timeout, you can cut the TIMER jumper and connect a resistor/capacitor to the TIME pin. Refer to the datasheet for instructions on calculating the timeout duration.
The board comes fully assembled, with a small stick of 0.1" header pins for easy soldering and breadboard connection. For additional contacts, we recommend using copper foil, with a wire soldered from the foil pad to the breakout.
Revision History:
As of July 25th, 2024 – We've updated this PCB with Adafruit Pinguin to make a lovely and legible silkscreen.
Specifications: