SMK to Unveil a Capacitive Controller Equipped With Proximity and Hover Sensing Functions for Touch Panels. 
New Controller Contributes to the User Experience of Operating a Device without Touching the Screen.

　　　　　
　TOKYO-SMK Corporation (TOKYO:6798) has developed a touch controller equipped with proximity and hover sensing functions with a maximum proximity sensing distance of 100mm and maximum hover distance of 20mm. In addition to standard touch operations, this controller can sense the position of a finger above a touch panel or touch pad with its proximity sensing and hover functions. Devices can be operated by hand or with thick gloves.

　The proximity sensing capabilities of the highly sensitive capacitive controller can be used with capacitive touch panels or touch pads to create new User Interfaces with features such as: turning on and off, displaying a hierarchical menu, and hovering pan or swipe gestures.

　"Users can operate a touch panel or touch pad without physically touching the display. Accordingly, this should contribute greatly to improving design qualities in customers' products.” said Tsutomu Isoda, Vice President of SMK Corporation. “Our main targets for this touch controller are car navigation systems, medical equipment, digital signage, game controllers, and personal computers.”

　SMK will entertain requests for information for this product from September, 2014 and plans to go into mass production October, 2015.