1129 User Guide
Required Hardware
- A 1129 Touch Sensor
- An InterfaceKit or Hub to read the sensor
- A Phidget cable
- A USB cable
- A computer
Connecting the Pieces
- Connect the touch sensor to the InterfaceKit or Hub with the Phidget cable.
- Connect the InterfaceKit or Hub to your computer with the USB cable.
Testing Using Windows
Phidget Control Panel
In order to demonstrate the functionality of the 1018, the Phidget Control Panel running on a Windows machine will be used.
The Phidget Control Panel is available for use on both macOS and Windows machines.
Windows
To open the Phidget Control Panel on Windows, find the 
icon in the taskbar. If it is not there, open up the start menu and search for Phidget Control Panel
macOS
To open the Phidget Control Panel on macOS, open Finder and navigate to the Phidget Control Panel in the Applications list. Double click on the icon to bring up the Phidget Control Panel.
For more information, take a look at the getting started guide for your operating system:
Linux users can follow the getting started with Linux guide and continue reading here for more information about the 1018.
First Look
After plugging the 1018 into your computer and opening the Phidget Control Panel, you will see something like this:
The Phidget Control Panel will list all connected Phidgets and associated objects, as well as the following information:
- Serial number: allows you to differentiate between similar Phidgets.
- Channel: allows you to differentiate between similar objects on a Phidget.
- Version number: corresponds to the firmware version your Phidget is running. If your Phidget is listed in red, your firmware is out of date. Update the firmware by double-clicking the entry.
The Phidget Control Panel can also be used to test your device. Double-clicking on an object will open an example.
Voltage Input
Double-click on a Voltage Input object in order to run the example: [[Image:{{{1}}}_VoltageInputSensor_Example.jpg|center|link=]]
General information about the selected object will be displayed at the top of the window. You can also experiment with the following functionality:
- Modify the change trigger and/or data interval value by dragging the sliders. For more information on these settings, see the data interval/change trigger page.
- If you have an analog sensor connected that you bought from us, you can select it from the Sensor Type drop-down menu. The example will then convert the voltage into a more meaningful value based on your sensor, with units included, and display it beside the Sensor Value label. Converting voltage to a Sensor Value is not specific to this example, it is handled by the Phidget libraries, with functions you have access to when you begin developing!
For more information about Voltage Inputs, check out the Voltage Input Primer.
Testing Using Mac OS X
- Go to the Quick Downloads section on the Mac OS X page.
- Download and run the Phidget OS X Installer
- Click on System Preferences >> Phidgets (under Other) to activate the Preference Pane
- Make sure your device is properly attached
- Double click on your device's objects in the listing to open them. The Preference Pane and examples will function very similarly to the ones described above in the Windows section.
Testing Using Linux
For a general step-by-step guide on getting Phidgets running on Linux, see the Linux page.
Using a Remote OS
We recommend testing your Phidget on a desktop OS before moving on to remote OS. Once you've tested your Phidget, you can go to the PhidgetSBC, or iOS pages to learn how to proceed.
Technical Details
The Touch Sensor changes value from 0 to 1000 (which corresponds to 0V - 5V) when it is touched. More specifically, this sensor is actually a capacitive change sensor. When the capacitance changes the sensor reports a thousand. If the sensor remains at 1000 for longer than 60 seconds, it will recalibrate back down to zero, regardless if the sensor is still being touched. This recalibration can also be done manually by unplugging and plugging the sensor back into the Interface kit. This is a useful feature because it means that the sensor can be mounted on a flat surface such as a piece of glass or plastic and be reset so that it does not register the change in capacitance caused by the surface it is mounted on. On the bottom side of the Touch Sensor there is a small exposed metallic pad. A soldered connection can be made to the pad to increase the size and dimensions of the touchable area, such as attaching the sensor to a metallic object or some wire. Once the sensor is recalibrated, the sensor’s value will increase to 1000 if the attached object is touched anywhere. Although there is an exposed metallic pad on the bottom of the board, the pad does not have to be touched directly to activate the sensor - touching anywhere on the board will activate the sensor. The sensor can work as a close proximity sensor, sensing objects at a distance of up to 1/2” from the board in all directions without direct contact. The Touch sensor will also work through a thickness of up to 1/2” of glass, plastic, or paper.
Customizing Sensitivity
The capacitor labelled C1 is the "sensing" capacitor. In other words this is the capacitor that determines how sensitive the sensor is. By default it is a 10nF capacitor. By changing this value we can adjust the sensitivity. Smaller capacitors will yield lower sensitivity while higher values will yield higher sensitivity. The IC (integrated circuit) on the 1129 specifies that the acceptable range for C1 is 2-50nF. In testing, 2nF will not sense through any thickness of material while 50nF can sense through over 1" of material and even through double paned windows with an air gap of up to 3/4". If the size of your capacitive touch surface is very large, you may have to increase C1 even more. Up to 100nF even. (Note: C1 is soldered onto the board, in order to replace it you will need a soldering iron).
Phidget Cable
The Phidget Cable is a 3-pin, 0.100 inch pitch locking connector. Pictured here is a plug with the connections labelled. The connectors are commonly available - refer to the Analog Input Primer for manufacturer part numbers.
What to do Next
- Programming Languages - Find your preferred programming language here and learn how to write your own code with Phidgets!
- Phidget Programming Basics - Once you have set up Phidgets to work with your programming environment, we recommend you read our page on to learn the fundamentals of programming with Phidgets.
