CapSense MBR3 Evaluation Kit

doctorcdf over 4 years ago

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CapSense® MBR3 is Cypress’s solution for quickly and easily replacing mechanical buttons with sleek and reliable capacitive-sensing user interfaces. The CapSense MBR3 family is the world’s easiest capacitive-sensing solution that allows you to design with the click of a mouse using our GUI-based software tool, EZ-Click™.

CapSense MBR3 combines the best of CapSense features including SmartSense™ Auto-Tuning, robust water tolerance and best-in-class proximity sensing while delivering reliable performance under all conditions. The CapSense MBR3 family comes in four small packages that are suited for various capacitive-sensing designs.

Features

Easiest-to-Design

CapSense MBR3 requires no firmware development – these devices are register configurable by any I2C host, like PSoC, Arduino or the Raspberry Pi
EZ-Click™ GUI-based software tool configures devices without the need to write any code

SmartSense Auto-Tuning

A CapSense algorithm that continuously compensates for system, manufacturing and environmental changes
Eliminates the need for manual tuning during all product design phases

Robust Water Tolerance

CapSense MBR3 works under water droplets, rain, mist and other liquids
Ensures no false touches even under streaming water

Industry's Best Capacitive Proximity Sensing

Achieve up to 30cm in proximity sensing distance
Implement advanced features like wake-on-approach to support ultra-low power applications

Reliable Performance

Advanced sensing algorithms ensure reliable performance even in noisy environments
Implement designs with Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) of > 100:1

Webinar

Join us on May 29th for a webinar entitled "Designing Capacitive User Interfaces for Single Board Computers [RESCHEDULED]". Designing Capacitive User Interfaces for Single Board Computers [RESCHEDULED].

Product Video

Bonus: Raspberry Pi

As a bonus to our testers, each Capsense MBR3 Evaluation Kit will be shipped with a Raspberry Pi so the full potential of this product can be further explored.

Terms & Conditions

Testers will be selected on the basis of quality of applications: we expect a full and complete description of why you want to test this particular product.
Testers are required to produce a full, comprehensive and well thought out review within 2 months of receipt of the product.
Failure to provide this review within the above timescale will result in the enrolee being excluded from future Road Tests.

RoadTest Reviews

Comment List

Top Comments

malakai over 11 years ago +4

Matthew Buza has shared a sample Python script using the I²C connections to the Raspberry Pi in the following link:

CY3280-MBR3 Example with Raspberry Pi
doctorcdf over 11 years ago +4

Many thanks to all who applied; it's clear that this product has inspired a lot of potential projects. As ever, it's not an altogether easy matter to make a choice, however this time we've picked:…
cy.gul over 11 years ago in reply to DAB +3

Hi DAB,

As such, the CapSense MBR3 products are not designed to detect water droplets. In fact, it has available features to ignore water droplets and ensure the buttons still work in the presence of moisture…

Workshopshed over 11 years ago

Just updated my review http://www.element14.com/community/roadTestReviews/1819 after reading the datasheet and register techical manual one more time.
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Workshopshed over 11 years ago in reply to Robert Peter Oakes

It turned out I had some 20A rated 0Ω resistors in my workshop, they just needed cutting to size.
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b4ux1t3 over 11 years ago

Finally got I2C working so that I could post a full review. Check it out here. I will be adding a few pictures and so forth, but my conclusions are all written down.
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Workshopshed over 11 years ago

An idea I just saw on the adafruit website is using conductive tape to make up your capacitive sensors. Perhaps an alternative to the evaluation kit would be a breakout board and a selection of different conductive tape shapes.
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Workshopshed over 11 years ago

Swapped browsers and got my images uploaded. So here's my latest results.

CapSense Evaluation Kit - Microcontroller Control
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Workshopshed over 11 years ago in reply to ipv1

There's a big button on the right of this web page

http://www.cypress.com/capsensembr3/

Although you might also be able to get some via cy.gul
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ipv1 over 11 years ago

The demos worked out fine. It's really simple to use. I do not have the code to interface with RPi but I found some code on the element14 blog and created a repository on GITHUB. Will be working to connect it with an arduino. I am also in the process of designing a PCB based on an Arduino and the Capsense. Anyone know where I can get sample devices for a prototype?
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Workshopshed over 11 years ago

In today's testing I've experimented with different front panel materials CapSense Evaluation Kit - Front panel materials
Next thing to try - CY3280-MBR3 Example with Arduino (Uno/Mega)
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b4ux1t3 over 11 years ago in reply to fvan

That makes sense. I probably should have thought of that.
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fvan over 11 years ago in reply to b4ux1t3

Hi,

you can always create blog posts about it as you make progress, and then link to these posts when making the actual review.

Frederick
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