Fondazione Istituto Italiano Di Tecnologia

Orange S.r.l.

Marcello Bottino

Giulio Sandini

Marco Maggiali

A tactile control arrangement () for at least one electronic device (W, P) including a touch control interface () based on a capacitive sensor matrix (S) and a electronic processing module () associated to the sensor matrix (S) and arranged to receive therefrom a plurality of electrical signals indicative of the touch or the pressure of an external body on at least one sensor (S) of the matrix and consequent commands to be transmitted towards the above-mentioned electronic device (W, P) is described. The sensor matrix (S) comprises a plurality of active sensor electrodes (E) and a corresponding plurality of conductive tracks (T) for the connection of the active electrodes (E) with the processing module (). The sensor matrix (S) is formed by a plurality of flexible functional layers (-) including a first layer () of conductive elastomeric material forming the active electrodes (E) and a second layer () of conductive elastomeric material forming the conductive tracks (T) on a plane parallel to the layer () of active electrodes (E), which first and second layers () of conductive elastomeric material are separated by a flexible layer () of insulating material comprising a non-conductive fabric bearing a plurality of vias at the active electrodes (E) of the first layer () and the corresponding conductive tracks (T) of the second layer (), wherein the layers () of active electrodes (E) and conductive tracks (T) are deformed so as to directly contact through the vias of the non-conductive textile layer ().

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Recco, Italy

Marcello Bottino