DIY Capacitive Touch Made Easy

Capacitive touch allows electronics to sense when your finger is within a few millimeters of a surface to simulate a button “press” without the use of an actual mechanical button. You’ll notice the feature on the new Xbox 360 Slim. Here’s a simple way to make your own CapTouch surfaces. All it takes is some inexpensive copper tape, a few resistors, and a microcontroller.

The Arduino CapSense library regulates the timing of the readings so all the hard work is done for you. Readings will vary based upon how the metal is touched (finger tip or full finger pad). View the full project details.