FTDI adds touch capability to its open source platform

Future Technology Devices International (FTDI) has added a touch control input/output application boards for its Vinco development module, writes Richard Wilson.

The Vinco Touch Key applications board, which the supplier calls a shield mates with the Vinco motherboard, and incorporates a STMicroelectronics STMPE821 8-channel general purpose input/output (GPIO) capacitive touch key controller IC.

The shield has 8 touch keys which employ a capacitive sensing technology, responding to physical input stimulus from the user. It also has a set of 4 push buttons and 5 GPIO-controlled LED indicators.

The touch keys are capable of passing input data to the Vinculum-II (VNC2) dual port USB host/device controller IC on the Vinco module via an I2C bus, where it can be processed by the IC's integrated 16-bit microcontroller core.

Access to the Vinco pulse width modulation (PWM) interface is also available on the header pins. The shield requires a 5V supply, which can be drawn from an external supply or through the Vinco motherboard connections.
 
"The new Touch Key shield demonstrates the Vinco platform's ability to utilise the Android Open Accessory initiative, so that devices using the Android operating system, such as tablet PCs, can control items of external hardware through a human machine interface (HMI), over USB," said Dave Sroka, global product director at FTDI.

The shield is supplied in a 55.4 mm x 68.6 mm  form-factor, the established format of the Arduino Duemilanove and Uno boards.

There are free software libraries, drivers and source code. An Integrated Development Environment (IDE) includes a code editor, 'C' compiler, assembler and debugger.

The FTDI Vinco Touch Key shield is available at a cost of $33.75 for single units.
 
More information is available for download at:
http://www.ftdichip.com/Support/Documents/DataSheets/Modules/DS_Vinco.pdf

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I can't believe someone makes... a "Shut-up" device

When the person next to you on the train or the bus insists on talking loudly into a phone about what's for dinner or who was drunkest last night, or you're on an early train home and it coincides with chucking out time for the local sixth form college and dozens of boisterous teenagers have to talk across each other at 90db, wouldn't you just love one of these...

 

Japanese researchers Kazutaka Kurihara (National Institute of Advanced Science and Technology) and Koji Tsukada (Ochanomizu University) have invented a "SpeechJammer".

 

It looks a bit like a speed-gun, but when you point it at a person's mouth peace and quiet dewscends.  It records the speaker's voice through a directional microphone, adds a 0.2 second delay and fires it straight back at the speaker.

Human brains need instant feedback and the continuous "echo" of their voice disrupts the thought process and brings "target" to a stop.

It may be hard to believe that someone makes these, but as a commuter I think I want one!

Source: Gizmag

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