Product category:
Analogue and Mixed Signal ICs
News Release from: Freescale Semiconductor | Subject: MC34940
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 15 February 2006
Integrated E-field sensors move into the
kitchen
Electric field sensing ICs migrate from automotive applications to appliance and industrial markets with the introduction of the MC34940.
Freescale Semiconductor is expanding its line of electric field (E-field) sensing ICs from automotive applications to the appliance and industrial markets with the introduction of the MC34940 Freescale continues to offer the industry's only single-chip IC that generates a low-level electric field and detects changes in that electric field
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 20 Mar 2001 at 8.00am (UK)
Related stories
Motorola drives for driver information systems
Motorola is developing a family of microcontrollers for the driver information systems (DIS) market.
MCU and DSP features combine in Flash hybrids
The 56F826 and 56F827 are Motorola's newest Flash-based hybrid controllers.
The MC34940 E-field IC offers designers greater functionality for creating embedded systems that require noncontact sensing.
"Freescale was the first to offer a low-level E-field imaging IC and is now broadening the technology's reach to new markets with this cost-effective model geared toward the consumer, appliance and industrial markets", said Tony Massimini, Chief of Technology for Semico Research.
"This should allow designers to incorporate increased functionality, reliability and ease of use for devices in these areas".
Further reading
DSP56800 design software comes for free
Motorola is offering a complimentary licence of the award-winning Metrowerks CodeWarrior for DSP56800 integrated development environment (IDE) with the purchase of a DSP56800 evaluation module.
Best-in-class claim for new DragonBalls
Motorola claims its two new DragonBall microprocessor products - DragonBall MX1 and DragonBall Super VZ - provide best-in-class handheld performance and battery life.
The MC34940 E-field IC can be used to implement proximity detection and three-dimensional E-field sensing.
At the same time, it is able to trigger functions such as turning switches on or off, disabling features or setting off alarms to indicate dangerous situations for devices such as coffee pots, hair dryers and lawnmowers.
Manufactured with SMARTMOS technology, the MC34940 integrates support for up to seven simple electrodes, which can be used independently to provide information to perform multiple functions simultaneously.
For example, one E-field device in a refrigerator application is able to: support touch screen selection for in-door water and ice; perform proximity detection to control the dispensing of water and ice; turn door panel lights on; control defrosting and ice making; and detect a door that is ajar.
The MC34940 is the only sensing IC on the market with an onboard shield driver for more demanding applications.
The shield signal protects the electrode signal from any external disturbances.
For example, with coaxial cables, electrodes can be remote while obtaining measurements as accurately as if the touch pads were in close proximity to the IC.
More sophisticated applications include touch panel inputs where the E-field sensing IC is embedded in glass or behind the touch panel.
This method eliminates membrane switches or expensive multi-layer resistive touch pads.
Problems of wear, dirt and corrosion are virtually eliminated because the input is sensed without requiring a contact mechanism.
This is especially beneficial in harsh environments with extreme temperatures and corrosive liquids.
The MC34940 E-field imaging IC is currently available in production quantities at a suggested resale price of US $1.85 in 10,000-piece quantities.
Freescale offers an MC34940 evaluation kit, DEMO1985MC34940E, to help reduce customers' system development cycle times.
The evaluation kit is available now for a suggested resale price of US $56.35 and includes the MC34940 evaluation board, driver CD-ROM, connectors and program software.
• Freescale Semiconductor: contact details and other news
• Email this article to a colleague
• Register for the free Electronicstalk email newsletter
• Electronicstalk Home Page
Search the Pro-Talk network of sites
