MCU offers advanced sensing capabilities and system control in a single chip

Infineon Technologies AG has introduced PSOC 4100T Plus, an Arm Cortex-M0+ MCU with Multi-Sense. The new MCU offers a rich blend of analog and digital capabilities, featuring 128K Flash, 32K SRAM, and the company's high-performance Multi-Sense technology, which includes CAPSENSE, inductive sensing and liquid level sensing. The new device also provides improved reliability and is equipped with a range of enhancements and advanced sensing capabilities to form a complete solution for system control and HMI applications.

"Infineon is committed to delivering best-in-class system control and HMI solutions with enhanced reliability," says Vibheesh Bharathan, director and project lead for PSOC 4 Multi-Sense from Infineon. "Our Multi-Sense capability represents a paradigm shift, driving next-generation sensing solutions for HMI and system control use cases. In this way, we are enabling the digitalisation solutions of tomorrow for consumer and industrial applications."

The MCU can be used as a standalone general-purpose device, providing a robust platform for system control and management, or it can be employed as a specialised HMI MCU, allowing the creation of intuitive and interactive interfaces. Alternatively, it can serve as a single chip solution for system control and touch HMI.

In its HMI MCU configuration, the device supports a range of sensing applications, including capacitive sensing for detecting user touch or proximity, inductive sensing for facilitating touch over metallic surfaces, ML-based liquid level sensing for monitoring liquid presence or levels, and CAPSENSE-based hover touch for detecting finger touch through a large airgap, making it a powerful tool for creating innovative and user-friendly interfaces.

The device is a versatile and powerful platform designed to support a broad range of applications. For example:

• Home appliances: Reliability is the top priority for home appliances. The MCU series addresses this critical requirement with notable enhancements, including 6500V best-in-class ESD HBM protection and a 1% internal main oscillator (IMO) accuracy. Also, the advanced HMI features, such as hover touch, provide a solution to several design challenges, including the need for simplified and cost-effective stack up, touch operation through airgap. With the combination of complementary sensing technologies of Multi-Sense, designers can effectively address the design challenges they face.
• Consumer electronics: The series elevates the HMI capabilities in consumer electronics by providing a compact and efficient solution for sensor designs. Leveraging its fifth generation CAPSENSE technology, the device offers high SNR and low power consumption. Also, its waterproof design enables the device to operate reliably in harsh environments, including outdoor applications.
• Touchpad and touchscreen applications: The series provides a high-resolution 2D finger tracking user interface, allowing the creation of touchpads and touchscreens. With 32 sensor inputs, the device can be configured to support up to 256 nodes, enabling a wide range of design possibilities. For example, a touchpad can be designed with an 80mm x 80mm surface area with a 5mm diamond pitch, resulting in a high-resolution multi-finger tracking. Similarly, a 4" touchscreen can be driven by the device for multi-finger use. Both touchpad and touchscreen user interfaces are supported with a built-in, configurable gesture engine.

To support the development of multi-sense applications, a comprehensive suite of software tools and resources is offered. The CAPSENSE Tuner permits designers to easily configure and optimise capacitive sensing applications, while the Inductive Sensing Design Guide and Liquid Level Sensing Design Guide provide detailed guidance on implementing these technologies. Also, the ML-based liquid level sensing model trainer allows developers to overcome challenges like manufacturing variations and varying air gaps with removable tanks.