Renesas and Quantum partner to develop innovative capacitive touch sensing solutions

With no moving parts and the ability to implement sealed surfaces, capacitive touch sensing makes products more reliable and easier to manufacture than the electro-mechanical controls it replaces, as well as allowing more innovative product designs.

Capacitive touch sensing allows designers the freedom to create compelling user interfaces that would otherwise not be possible. Examples include buttons, wheels and sliders on curved control surfaces, and touch screens or panels that enhance product functionality and appeal. Demand for touch controls is growing rapidly in a wide range of applications, including mobile phones, white goods and automotive systems.

Hideharu Takebe, board director and general manager, MCU business group, Renesas Technology Corp., commented, “Renesas chose to partner with QRG as leaders in the field of capacitive touch sensing, with easily deployable technology that has already been demonstrated on our R8C family of MCUs. The technology will soon be extended to our H8 and M16C families.”

QRG has worked with Renesas to deploy its QTouch technology on the R8C family of devices; a 2 button demonstrator is available using the R8C/29 MCU. QRG and Renesas are working together on a number of end customer applications worldwide.

“Quantum selects strategic partners very carefully. Renesas is the world’s leading supplier of MCUs with high quality devices and an emphasis on supply chain trust and stability. Collaborating with Renesas is a major benefit to us and our customers,” said Hal Philipp, CEO of Quantum Research Group. “The wide range of devices from Renesas across their MCU product families gives us the ability to address a broad range of applications with devices appropriate to each market segment,” he added.

QRG will work with end customers to create compelling user interfaces, selecting the most appropriate device based on the application and market segment needs. Renesas will provide the silicon and the supply chain management.

Note 1: Source: Garter (March 2007) 2006 Worldwide Microcontroller Vendor Revenue GJ07168