July 18, 2017. Peratech, the force-sensing technology specialists, and SMK Electronics (SMK), a designer, developmer and manufacturer of OEM remote controls and electronic components, announced their collaboration to incorporate Peratech’s Quantum Tunnelling Composites (QTC) technology in SMK’s remote control products, consumer products and automotive modules.
Peratech’s QTC technology works in human-machine interfaces through the use of accurate force sensing and has already been integrated into SMK’s remote control prototypes.
Incorporating QTC force-sensing technology into a remote control is intended to improve the experience of using capacitive buttons, touchpads or directional pads, by requiring a press-with-force to send commands to the receiver. This eliminates the accidental input that capacitive buttons and touchpads can be prone to. QTC also enables ways of interacting with the machine’s interface: for example, a light press to fast forward at 2x speed, medium press to fast forward at 4x speed, and hard press to skip to the next episode.
QTC force-sensing technology is also designed for automotive applications, as force touch controls can be integrated under virtually any surface found in the cockpit including glass, wood, plastic, metal and leather to create a ‘smart surface’. 3D touch sensors can be mounted under flat or curved surfaces and objects, enabling richer interactions with the car’s systems and ensuring buttons only respond when there’s genuine intent to press them.