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Detection range is 50 – 80mm for hand or finger proximity, 30 – 50mm to select an action and 0-30mm to activate an action.
“Capacitive touch panels offer intuitive input and control. The flipside is that normal capacitive touch panel input is obstructed by wet or oily hands, hands dirty with chemicals and glove-wearing,” according to the company. While touch-less displays “make use of the space directly in front of the panel for no-touch operation”.
Numbered HCEPM0x002A, the overlay is 368 x 220mm with a 346.6 x 195.6mm viewing area, and attached via a flexi to a 110 x 100mm support PCB that connects to a host PC via a USB Micro Type-B connector.
In addition to x-y coordinates, the panel can also output a count value for proximity in the z-axis. Touch accuracy is ±5mm in x and y, increasing to ±10mm in non-touch proximity (hover distance unspecified).
Operation is over 0 to 40°C and up to 90% humidity without condensation.
Dedicated control software is available for Windows running the display behind the panel, allowing adjustment of the visual part of the user interface “to achieve the desired operating feel and realise a range of touchless operation scenarios”, said Alps.
The ‘x’ in the part number is associate with this software: “HCEPM0A002 requires preparation of PC software based on USB vendor class information,” said Alps, “select HCEPM0B002 if using together with dedicated control software for Windows. Included in the box for HCEPM0C002 is a license key for dedicated control software prepared as a bundle for low-volume customer sample requests.”
Use is foreseen in industrial food processing machines, commercial kitchen and cooking equipment, public computer terminals, medical systems ad explosion-proof equipment.
Limited information for the HCEPM0A002A, for example, can be found on this product page. Sadly, detailed information is behind a data wall.
