“Full-scale manufacture of coated film to support the XSense program has started,” the Yorkshire Post reported. “Carclo [confirmed] that XSense is to be adopted in a number of products launched across a range of tier 1 manufacturers during the second half of its financial year.”

Atmel’s XSense can probably best be described as a high-performance, highly flexible touch sensor which allows engineers to design devices with curved surfaces and functionality along product edges. Based on a proprietary roll-to-roll metal mesh technology, XSense touch sensors provide a clear alternative to existing touch sensors. Simply put, manufacturers can now build light-weight, sleek, edgeless smartphones, tablets and other touch-enabled devices with extremely versatile form factors.

“Consumers are demanding more robust and advanced touch-based products with larger screens and longer battery life,” an Atmel engineering rep told Bits & Pieces. “However, traditional touch sensor solutions have a difficult time standing up to these new market requirements because of their brittle nature. In contrast, XSense is a flexible, film-based touch sensor with such advantages as flawless touch performance, enhanced noise immunity, low sheet resistance and low power consumption.”

Key XSense specs include:

• Highly accurate stylus performance (active or passive)
• Support for larger touchscreens
• Flexibility – for curved surfaces
• Narrow border – for larger active screen areas
• Narrow bond area – for optimized device reliability
• Low sheet resistance for better noise immunity and lower power

“In short, XSense kicks off a new era of touch design – enabling manufacturers to redefine touch and create an entirely new class of products,” the Atmel engineering rep added. “Combined with Atmel’s maXTouch controllers, we provide a completely optimized, unparalleled touch experience, extending our product portfolio deeper into the touch eco-system.”