Cap Slider 3 Click

How does it work?

Cap Slider 3 Click is based on the IQS323, a highly flexible ProxFusion® sensor fusion IC from Azoteq, designed to provide a reliable capacitive sliding interface for various touch-based control applications. The front side of the board incorporates a single large sensor pad that allows for intuitive sliding gestures, providing a smooth user experience. The IQS323 communicates over the standard I2C interface and performs all processing on-chip, allowing it to function effectively even in ultra-low-power modes. The built-in feature set includes automatic tuning for optimal sensitivity under varying environmental conditions, advanced noise filtering for stable readings, and differential measurement support via reference channels to improve accuracy.

The IQS323 also integrates debounce and hysteresis mechanisms to prevent false triggers, as well as dual-direction trigger indication for clear response to sliding gestures in both directions. Additionally, the IQS323 supports a Halt Mode that significantly reduces power consumption, along with a distributed ultra-low-power (ULP) mode that intelligently balances response time and energy efficiency. These features make Cap Slider 3 Click an ideal solution for applications that require robust, low-power touch or proximity interfaces such as wearable electronics like fitness bands and smartwatches, presence or wear detection mechanisms, SAR (Specific Absorption Rate) safety sensors, and wake-up buttons in battery-powered systems.

As mentioned earlier, this Click contains a 3-segment capacitive sensing slider that can detect a slide in either the UP or DOWN direction, as well as two LED indicators (TOUCH and PWR). These are the only elements on the top side of the board, allowing the protective acrylic plexiglass layer placement. If a touch event is detected on slider area, the state of the TOUCH LED will be changed, indicating an activated channel; more precisely, touch has been detected on that specific field.

Cap Slider 3 Click communicates with MCU using the standard I2C 2-Wire interface with a maximum clock frequency of 1MHz, fully adjustable through software registers. An additional ready signal, routed on the RDY pin of the mikroBUS™ socket, is added, which indicates when the communication window is available with new data for optimal response. Thus, it is optimal for the response rate to use the INT pin as a communication trigger.

This Click board™ can be operated only with a 3.3V logic voltage level. The board must perform appropriate logic voltage level conversion before using MCUs with different logic levels. It also comes equipped with a library containing functions and example code that can be used as a reference for further development.

Specifications

Pinout diagram

This table shows how the pinout on Cap Slider 3 Click corresponds to the pinout on the mikroBUS™ socket (the latter shown in the two middle columns).

Notes	Pin					Pin	Notes
	NC	1	AN	PWM	16	RDY	Data Ready Indicator
	NC	2	RST	INT	15	NC
ID COMM	CS	3	CS	RX	14	NC
	NC	4	SCK	TX	13	NC
	NC	5	MISO	SCL	12	SCL	I2C Clock
	NC	6	MOSI	SDA	11	SDA	I2C Data
Power Supply	3.3V	7	3.3V	5V	10	NC
Ground	GND	8	GND	GND	9	GND	Ground

Onboard settings and indicators

Cap Slider 3 Click electrical specifications

Software Support

Cap Slider 3 Click demo application is developed using the NECTO Studio, ensuring compatibility with mikroSDK's open-source libraries and tools. Designed for plug-and-play implementation and testing, the demo is fully compatible with all development, starter, and mikromedia boards featuring a mikroBUS™ socket.

Example Description

This example demonstrates the use of the Cap Slider 3 Click board by initializing the device and reading the current slider position. The application logs the detected slider position in real-time.

Key Functions

• capslider3_cfg_setup This function initializes Click configuration structure to initial values.
• capslider3_init This function initializes all necessary pins and peripherals used for this Click board.
• capslider3_default_cfg This function executes a default configuration of Cap Slider 3 Click board.
• capslider3_read_data This function reads various system information and sensor data from the Click board.

Application Init

Initializes the logger and the Cap Slider 3 Click driver.

Application Task

Continuously reads and logs the slider position detected by the Cap Slider 3 Click board.

Application Output

This Click board can be interfaced and monitored in two ways:

• Application Output - Use the "Application Output" window in Debug mode for real-time data monitoring. Set it up properly by following this tutorial.
• UART Terminal - Monitor data via the UART Terminal using a USB to UART converter. For detailed instructions, check out this tutorial.

Additional Notes and Information

The complete application code and a ready-to-use project are available through the NECTO Studio Package Manager for direct installation in the NECTO Studio. The application code can also be found on the MIKROE GitHub account.