Atmel’s XSense hits EEWeb

Atmel’s XSense is a high-performance, highly flexible touch sensor which allows engineers to design devices with curved surfaces and even add functionality along product edges. Essentially, this means manufacturers now have the capability to build light-weight, sleek, edgeless smartphones, tablets and other touch-enabled devices.

Recently, Atmel’s XSense was featured in an EEWeb article, with the publication describing the technology as the “next step” in touchscreen product evolution.

“XSense is a roll-to-roll metal mesh technology that can achieve high performance touch sensing capabilities on a seemingly endless variety of curved or flexible surface,” the article explained. 

“With XSense already in production, OEMs have already started implementing it in the next generation of disruptive, touch-enabled devices.”



EEWeb also noted that XSense’s extremely light, thin and power features can be implemented in thinner mobile devices, curved and and contoured screens as well as edgeless designs for consumer touch-enabled devices.

“The overall thinness of this touchscreen film allows for superior clarity on the device display, low sheet resistance and low power consumption, allowing for numerous benefits for implementation,” the publication concluded.

“XSense also allows for thinner sensor stacks within the device, meaning that not only is the display twice as thin as average touchscreen sense film, but that the device itself can be reduced in size.”

As we’ve previously discussed on Bits & Pieces, Jennifer Colegrove, who owns Touch Display Research in Santa Clara, Calif., estimates the potential market for XSense and similar technologies will increase from $200 million this year to $4 billion by 2020, primarily for tablet computers and other larger mobile devices. Similarly, Hans Mosesmann, a technology analyst for Raymond James & Associates, says the market for touchscreen sensors will grow at an annual rate of 44 percent during the next three years to about $10 billion due to its lower cost, size and performance.

Interested in learning more about Atmel’s XSense technology? You can check out the official XSense page here and read about Atmel’s recently launched XSense contest here.