The ProxSense® series of capacitive trackpads offer best in class sensitivity, signal to noise ratio and power consumption. Automatic tuning for sense electrodes guarantees optimal operation over production and environmental changes.

Main Features

Trackpad with on chip XY coordinate calculation

3072 x 2048 resolution (TPS65)

100Hz report rate

Adjustable Sensitivity

Proximity wake up from low power

Automatic drift compensation

1 & 2 Finger Gesture Detection Swipe

Tap

Pinch / Zoom

Gesture with Hold

Fast I2C Interface

Optional Snap Overlay

Low Power, suitable for battery applications

Supply voltage: 1.65V to 3.6V

<40μA active sensing LP mode

I2C interface to BlueTooth SoC

The ProxSense® series of capacitive trackpads offer best in class sensitivity, signal to noise ratio and power consumption. Automatic tuning for sense electrodes guarantees optimal operation over production and environmental changes.

Main Features

Trackpad with on chip XY coordinate calculation

3072 x 2048 resolution (TPS65)

100Hz report rate

Adjustable Sensitivity

Proximity wake up from low power

Automatic drift compensation

1 & 2 Finger Gesture Detection Swipe

Tap

Pinch / Zoom

Gesture with Hold

Fast I2C Interface

Optional Snap Overlay

Low Power, suitable for battery applications

Supply voltage: 1.65V to 3.6V

<40μA active sensing LP mode

I2C interface to BlueTooth SoC

This rotary encoder is the best of the best, its a high quality 24-pulse encoder, with detents and a nice feel. It is panel mountable for placement in a box, or you can plug it into a breadboard (just cut/bend the two mechanical side tabs.) We also include a nice soft-touch knob with an arrow in it, fits perfectly and looks great. This encoder also has a push-button built into it so you can press onto the knob to close a separate switch. One side has a 3 pin connector (ground and two coding pins) and the other side has two pins for a normally-open switch.

Rotary encoders are useful as rotation sensors or selectors and look similar to potentiometers. However they are not like potentiometers at all, so it's important to realize the difference! These rotary encoders rotate all the way around continuously, and are divided up into 24 'segments'. Each segment has a click-y feeling to it, and each movement clockwise or counter-clockwise causes the two switches to open and close. There is no way to know what the current 'position' is - instead you would use a microcontroller to count how many 'clicks' left or right it has been turned. If you need to detect rotational 'position' a potentiometer would be a better choice.

When you need a lot of options, you need a Mini 8-Way Rotary Selector Switch. This is basically a single-pole to 8-throw switch. As you rotate the knob around, the middle pin will make contact with each of the outer pins. Rotary switches are very simple to use and are also nice and compact. This one is easy to panel mount, thanks to the included washer and hex nut. It has a T18-size shaft so you can pick one of our T18 knobs to go with it for easier turning.

Round and round it goes, this nice round "scrubber" knob is the perfect mate to a rotary encoder.  It's got a wide 34.7mm diameter with a nice finger groove on its face so it's easy to turn with just one finger.  It works best with our rotary encoder, just snap it on and away you go.

Please note: this knob won't work with our potentiometers which have T18 spline shafts! While rotary encoders look similar to potentiometers, they're actually very different.  Rotary encoders rotate all the way around continuously, which is why a knob like this is handy, you can twist it around very fast.

Does not come with a rotary encoder

We also sell potentiometers in the Adafruit store and plenty of knobs to match if you're really just a knob fanatic.

This slim and modern potentiometer is small and compact, yet looks good and has a nice feel. We hand selected the best knobs for your project in different sizes and varieties.  This one is the Slim Metal Knob 10mm diameter x 15mm Tall (T18 Splines).

It's a brushed aluminum knob with a shiny black (anodized?) coating.  It kind of looks like the type of knob you'd find in a very fancy, modern kitchen.  There's a silver mark on the black finish so you can know where you are and figure out where you're going.  It's a good knob if you're looking for something basic and subtle and it's super tiny and subdued, we also have a shorter version.

This knob will not work on our Rotary Encoder (which has a D shaft)! It will work, however, on all of our Potentiometers (which have T18 shafts)

Oh say can you see

By the knob's early light...

Sorry - we thought that was clever.  And while it wasn't really, this potentiometer knob definitely is.  It's a 'soft touch' T18 knob that works great with our Panel Mount 10K, Panel Mount 1K, and Panel Mount 100K potentiometers.  The knob is designed to set directly on the potentiometer's ridges so it's an easy & secure fit. It has a nice feel, with a rubbery grip, tweaking it is quite fulfilling

This is the blue version and it has a nice deep color on the inside with a striking blue line on the outside for great visibility with whatever you're making.  We also carry it in white and red if you're looking for a variety of colors.

Oh say can you see

By the knob's early light...

Sorry - we thought that was clever.  And while it wasn't really, this potentiometer knob definitely is.  It's a 'soft touch' T18 knob that works great with our Panel Mount 10K, Panel Mount 1K, and Panel Mount 100K potentiometers.  The knob is designed to set directly on the potentiometer's ridges so it's an easy & secure fit. It has a nice feel, with a rubbery grip, tweaking it is quite fulfilling

This is the Red version and it has a nice deep color on the inside with a striking red line on the outside for great visibility with whatever you're making.  We also carry it in white and blue if you're looking for a variety of colors.

The Explorer HAT Pro is a terrific prototyping side-kick for your Raspberry Pi 2, B+, or A+!

On the Explorer Pro from Pimoroni there are a heap of useful input and output options that will take your projects to the next level. Great for driving motors, using analog sensors, interfacing with 5V systems, and touch interfaces!

Features:

4x buffered 5V tolerant inputsHook up your Pi to accept input from 5V systems (like Arduino Uno/Leonardo or 5V Trinkets). We've used a 5-channel buffer that will accept anything from 2V-5V as logic high.

Hook up your Pi to accept input from 5V systems (like Arduino Uno/Leonardo or 5V Trinkets). We've used a 5-channel buffer that will accept anything from 2V-5V as logic high.

4x powered 5v outputs (up to 500mA!)The onboard darlington array can supply up to 500mA per channel (but you'll be limited to driving around 1A total from the board). Ideal for stepper motors, solenoids, and relays.

The onboard darlington array can supply up to 500mA per channel (but you'll be limited to driving around 1A total from the board). Ideal for stepper motors, solenoids, and relays.

4x capacitive touch pads + 4x capacitive alligator clip padsFour along the front edge for touch input (labelled 1, 2, 3, 4) and four up the side for attaching alligator clips to objects (such as fruit, or tin foil) for experimentation!

Four along the front edge for touch input (labelled 1, 2, 3, 4) and four up the side for attaching alligator clips to objects (such as fruit, or tin foil) for experimentation!

4x colored LEDsIndependently controllable LEDs (red, green, blue, and yellow) that make great status indicators.

Independently controllable LEDs (red, green, blue, and yellow) that make great status indicators.

1x mini breadboard on top

The Explorer HAT *Pro* also has a few additional features:

4x analog inputsA tidy way to integrate analog signals into your project.

A tidy way to integrate analog signals into your project.

2x H-bridge motor driversDrive two 5V motors bidirectionally with up to 200mA per channel. Ideal with our micro-metal gear-motors to create the perfect little buggy! You can even soft-PWM for full speed control.

Drive two 5V motors bidirectionally with up to 200mA per channel. Ideal with our micro-metal gear-motors to create the perfect little buggy! You can even soft-PWM for full speed control.

A heap of useful (unprotected) 3v3 goodies from the GPIO

And head on over to Pimoroni's GitHub to find a Python library, examples, documentation, and a brief introduction to the Explorer HAT!

Add some jazz & pizzazz to your project with a color touchscreen LCD. This TFT display is 2.4" diagonal with a bright (4 white-LED) backlight and it's colorful! 240x320 pixels with individual RGB pixel control, this has way more resolution than a black and white 128x64 display.

As a bonus, this display has a resistive touchscreen attached to it already, so you can detect finger presses anywhere on the screen.

If you need a larger touchscreen, check out the 2.8" diagonal or 3.5" diagonal TFT breakouts. For a smaller display, see our non-touch 2.2" or 1.8" or 1.44" diagonal TFTs

This display has a controller built into it with RAM buffering, so that almost no work is done by the microcontroller. The display can be used in two modes: 8-bit or SPI. For 8-bit mode, you'll need 8 digital data lines and 4 or 5 digital control lines to read and write to the display (12 lines total). SPI mode requires only 5 pins total (SPI data in, data out, clock, select, and d/c) but is slower than 8-bit mode.

In addition, 4 pins are required for the touch screen (2 digital, 2 analog) or you can purchase and use our resistive touchscreen controller (not included) to use I2C or SPI.

Of course, we wouldn't just leave you with a datasheet and a "good luck!". For 8-bit interface fans we've written a full open source graphics library that can draw pixels, lines, rectangles, circles, text, and more. For SPI users, we have a library as well, its separate from the 8-bit library since both versions are heavily optimized. For resistive touch, we also have a touch screen library that detects x, y and z (pressure) and example code to demonstrate all of it. Check out our tutorial for wiring diagrams, schematics, and a walkthough on this display.

This sensor can detect flexing or bending in one direction. They were popularized by being used in the Nintendo PowerGlove as a gaming interface.These sensors are easy to use, they are basically resistors that change value based on how much they're flexed. If they're unflexed, the resistance is about ~10KΩ. When flexed all the way the resistance rises to ~20KΩ. They're pretty similar to FSRs so following this tutorial will get you started. You can use an analog input on a microcontroller (with a pullup resistor) or a digital input with the use of a 0.1uF capacitor for RC timing.The bottom part of the sensor (where the pins are crimped on) is very delicate so make sure to have strain relief - such as clamping or gluing that part so as not to rip out the contacts!

This sensor can detect flexing or bending in one direction. They were popularized by being used in the Nintendo PowerGlove as a gaming interface.These sensors are easy to use, they are basically resistors that change value based on how much their flexed. If they're unflexed, the resistance is about ~25KΩ. When flexed all the way the resistance rises to ~100KΩ. They're pretty similar to FSRs so following this tutorial will get you started. You can use an analog input on a micro-controller (with a pullup resistor) or a digital input with the use of a 0.1uF capacitor for RC timing.The bottom part of the sensor (where the pins are crimped on) is very delicate so make sure to have strain relief - such as clamping or gluing that part so as not to rip out the contacts!

Add some jazz & pizazz to your project with a color touchscreen LCD. This TFT display is big (2.8" diagonal) bright (4 white-LED backlight) and colorful! 240x320 pixels with individual RGB pixel control, this has way more resolution than a black and white 128x64 display. As a bonus, this display has a resistive touchscreen attached to it already, so you can detect finger presses anywhere on the screen. We also have a version of this display breakout with a capacitive touchscreen.

This display has a controller built into it with RAM buffering, so that almost no work is done by the microcontroller. The display can be used in two modes: 8-bit and SPI. For 8-bit mode, you'll need 8 digital data lines and 4 or 5 digital control lines to read and write to the display (12 lines total). SPI mode requires only 5 pins total (SPI data in, data out, clock, select, and d/c) but is slower than 8-bit mode. In addition, 4 pins are required for the touch screen (2 digital, 2 analog) or you can purchase and use our resistive touchscreen controller (not included) to use I2C or SPI

We wrapped up this display into an easy-to-use breakout board, with SPI connections on one end and 8-bit on the other. Both are 3-5V compliant with high-speed level shifters so you can use with any microcontroller. If you're going with SPI mode, you can also take advantage of the onboard MicroSD card socket to display images. (microSD card not included, but any will work)

Of course, we wouldn't just leave you with a datasheet and a "good luck!". For 8-bit interface fans we've written a full open source graphics library that can draw pixels, lines, rectangles, circles, text, and more. For SPI users, we have a library as well, its separate from the 8-bit library since both versions are heavily optimized. We also have a touch screen library that detects x, y and z (pressure) and example code to demonstrate all of it.

Follow our step by step guide for wiring, code and drawing. You'll be running in 15 minutes

If you are using an Arduino-shaped microcontroller, check out our TFT shield version of this same display, with SPI control and a touch screen controller as well

The SparkFun Touch Potentiometer, or Touch Pot for short, is an intelligent linear capacitive touch sensor that implements potentiometer functionality with 256 positions. It can operate as a peripheral to a computer or embedded microcontroller or in a stand-alone capacity. The Touch Potentiometer provides both a dual-channel analog and PWM output for direct control of other circuitry. Configurable analog and PWM transfer functions support a wide variety of applications such as volume control and LED dimming.

The Touch Potentiometer is controlled by a Microchip PIC16F1829 8-bit micro-controller that provides the host interface, LED control, capacitive sense and peripheral control functions. A built-in low-dropout voltage regulator allows operation over a range of input voltages up to 12V and breadboard friendly connectors make it easy to play with. A desktop application has been created by our collaborator, Dan Julio, that communicates with the Touch Pot over a serial connection. From this utility app you can change configuration settings, alter LED behavior, calibrate the capacitive touch sensor, view current readings in jabber mode, and much more.

Note: This product is a collaboration with danjuliodesigns. A portion of each sales goes back to them for product support and continued development.

Get Started with the SparkFun Touch Potentiometer Guide

Features

Dual host interfaces: Logic-level serial and I2CTM

Dual 8-bit 20 k-ohm 3-terminal digitally controlled variable resistor outputs

PWM output

8 LED display with multiple display modes and intensity levels

Option for interpolated (soft) changes between touches

Configurable touch sensor parameters for a variety of PCB covers

Easily configurable I2C address to allow multiple devices on one bus

Configurable linear or non-linear PWM transfer function

Configurable linear or simulated logarithmic variable resistor transfer function

Variable resistor supports single- or dual-supply operation

Simple register interface with jabber option

Programmable power-on default operation

Built-in calibration procedure

User-accessible EEPROM data storage

Built-in 5V LDO voltage regulator

Through-hole and SMT connectors

This touch-able add on HAT for Raspberry Pi will inspire your next interactive project with 12 capacitive touch sensors. Capacitive touch sensing works by detecting when a person (or animal) has touched one of the sensor electrodes. Capacitive touch sensing used for stuff like touch-reactive tablets and phones, as well as control panels for appliances, which is where you may have used it before. This HAT allows you to create electronics that can react to human touch, with up to 12 individual sensors.

The HAT has 12 'figure 8' holes in it that can be gripped onto with alligator clip cables. Attach one side of the clip to the HAT and the other side to something electrically conductive (like metal) or full of water (like vegetables or fruit!) Then start up our handy Python library code to detect when the object is touched. That's pretty much it, very easy! For advanced users, you can also solder to a pad to make a slimmer & more permanent connection.

Works great with Raspberry Pi Model A+, B+, or Pi 2. This HAT can be used with Model A or Model B but requires purchase/soldering of a extra-tall 2x13 header instead of the 2x20 included.

We're working on a detailed tutorial, meanwhile you can check out the tutorial for the non-HAT/breakout-version of this chip with the Raspberry Pi here which uses the exact same library and code. We have examples for reading touches, turning touches into keyboard KeyUp/KeyDown presses (so you can make a veggie-keyboard) as well as an audio player that will play a sound per sensor (fruit drums!)

Each order comes with a Capacitive Touch HAT and a 2x20 socket header. You'll need to do some light through-hole soldering to attach the headers onto the HAT circuit board, but its easy to do with basic soldering tools like a soldering iron and rosin core electronics solder. You'll also likely want to pick up a 12 pack of alligator clips!

Please note! This kit does not come with Raspberry Pi, alligator clips, speaker, or delicious fruit! However, we do have all of those in the store. Well, all except fruit - despite being called Adafruit, we do not actually sell fruit

Add lots of touch sensors to your next microcontroller project with this easy-to-use 8-channel capacitive touch sensor breakout board, starring the CAP1188. This chip can handle up to 8 individual touch pads, and has a very nice feature that makes it stand out for us: it will light up the 8 onboard LEDs when the matching touch sensor fires to help you debug your sensor setup.The CAP1188 has support for both I2C and SPI, so it easy to use with any microcontroller. If you are using I2C, you can select one of 5 addresses, for a total of 40 capacitive touch pads on one I2C 2-wire bus. Using this chip is a lot easier than doing the capacitive sensing with analog inputs: it handles all the filtering for you and can be configured for more/less sensitivity.Comes with a fully assembled board, and a stick of 0.1" header so you can plug it into a breadboard. For contacts, we suggest using copper foil, then solder a wire that connects from the foil pad to the breakout.Getting started is a breeze with our Arduino library and tutorial. You'll be up and running in a few minutes, and if you are using another microcontroller, its easy to port our code.

CAP1188 - 8-Key Capacitive Touch Sensor Breakout - I2C or SPI (1:35)

This breakout board is the simplest way to create a project with a single "toggle" capacitive touch sensor. No microcontroller is required here - just power with 1.8 to 5.5VDC and touch the pad to activate the sensor.This sensor is a toggle output type: touch-on then touch-off. That means that when a capacitive load is detected (e.g. a person touches the sensor-pad area) the red LED will alternate turning off and the output pin will go high or low, respectively. This sensor is good for a project where you want to activate something on the first touch, then deactivate it when touching again, like a switch. You can also solder a wire to the middle pad and create your own capacitive pad if the built-in one isn't suited to your project.If you want to save power, the LED can be disconnected from the output pin (cut the trace between the jumper marked as such). We designed this breakout to have infinite time-out. The chip does support having the sensor time-out, so for example, if something is turned on, it will eventually turn off on its own. If you'd like to use this mode, cut the TIMER jumper and then connect a resistor/capacitor to the TIME pin. Check the datasheet for how to calculate the TIME pin to match your desired timeout.Comes with a fully assembled board, and a small stick of 0.1" header so you can solder and plug it into a breadboard. For additional contacts, we suggest using copper foil, then solder a wire that connects from the foil pad to the breakout.The datasheet has many details on sensitivity, power usage, etc.

Standalone Toggle Capacitive Touch Sensor Breakout (11:10)

This breakout board is the simplest way to create a project with a single "momentary" capacitive touch sensor. No microcontroller is required here - just power with 1.8 to 5.5VDC and touch the pad to activate the sensor.When a capacitive load is detected (e.g. a person touches the sensor-pad area) the red LED lights up and the output pin goes high. You can also solder a wire to the middle pad and create your own capacitive pad if the built-in one isn't suited to your project.If you want to save power, the LED can be disconnected from the output pin (cut the trace between the jumper marked as such). We designed this breakout to have the more-responsive "fast mode" which draws about 0.5mA. If you need ultra-low (~50uA) power usage, the mode jumper can be cut on one side & soldered closed on the other to fix it into that mode. Check the datasheet for specific power usage measurements.Comes with a fully assembled board, and a small stick of 0.1" header so you can solder and plug it into a breadboard. For additional contacts, we suggest using copper foil, then solder a wire that connects from the foil pad to the breakout.The datasheet has many details on sensitivity, power usage, etc.

Standalone Momentary Capacitive Touch Sensor Breakout (11:10)

This is a simple touch sensor module. You can use it to replace a traditional push button. Using the TTP223-B touch detector IC It measures the capacitance of a metallic pad. It can detect the change in capacitance when a finger is near it. This is the same technology used in the iPhone touch screen. So you can place the metallic pad under a non-metallic surface such as a plastic or glass sheet and it will still work as a button. This may be useful for projects that need to be waterproof. You can also make a secret button by placing it inconspicuously behind a smooth surface. For instance you could place them under a nonmetallic card table and by casually pressing the right location on a tabletop surface you could mysteriously control your DIY project.

Features

Grove compatible interface

2.0-5.5V DC supply

response time max about 60mS at fast mode, 220mS at low power mode @VDD=3V

Low power consumption

2.0cm x 2.0cm twig module

Power indicator led

Applications Ideas

Inconspicuous button

Water proofed electric product

Button key replacement

This knit conductive fabric is plated with real Silver and super luxe! Use small pieces on the tips of gloves or in any soft circuit situation where you need a bit of stretch. This highly conductive fabric has a resistance of less than 1 ohm per foot in any direction across the textile. It can be used to make soft keypads and capacitive touch sensors, as well as soft "squeeze" switches. Great for use with FLORA.Sold as a 20cm x 20cm piece (minimum dimension)Use a dry iron on medium. Dry cleaning recommended. Do not use steam! Discoloration can occur.

Knit Conductive Fabric - Silver 20cm square (11:35)

The 7” Touchscreen Display for Raspberry Pi gives users the ability to create all-in-one, integrated projects such as tablets, infotainment systems and embedded projects!

The 800x480 display connects via an adapter board which handles power and signal conversion. Only two connections to the Pi are required; power from the Pi’s GPIO port and a ribbon cable that connects to the DSI port present on all Raspberry Pi’s.  Touchscreen drivers with support for 10-finger touch and an on-screen keyboard will be integrated into the latest Raspbian OS for full functionality without a physical keyboard or mouse.

Key features:

Truly Interactive - the latest software drivers will support a virtual ‘on screen’ keyboard, so there is no need to plug in a keyboard and mouse.

Make your own Internet of Things devices including a visual display. Simply connect your Raspberry Pi, develop a Python script to interact with the display, and you’re ready to create your own home automation devices with touch screen capability.

A range of educational software and programs available on the Raspberry Pi will be touch enabled, making learning and programming easier on the Raspberry Pi.

Kit contains:

7” Touchscreen Display

Adapter Board

DSI Ribbon cable

4 x stand-offs and screws (used to mount the adapter board and Raspberry Pi board to the back of the display)

4 x jumper wires (used to connect the power from the Adapter Board and the GPIO pins on the Pi so the 2Amp power is shared across both units)

Build instructions can be found here!

Note: Raspberry Pi and power supply are NOT included! Compatible with Raspberry Pi 3 Model B+, Raspberry Pi 3 Model B, Raspberry Pi 2, Model B+, and Model A+. The display will technically work with the Model A and Model B boards (connecting it to the DSI port on the Pi board), however, the mounting holes on the back of the display will only line up with the newer board designs (A+, B+, Pi 2, and Pi 3).