Grove – 12 Key Capacitive I2C Touch Sensor V3

Grove – 12 Key Capacitive I2C Touch Sensor V3 (MPR121) – Build Custom Touch Interfaces Easily

Unlock a world of interactive possibilities with the Grove – 12 Key Capacitive I2C Touch Sensor V3, powered by the versatile Freescale MPR121 controller. This sensor module allows you to create custom touch keypads, capacitive buttons, and proximity-aware projects with remarkable ease. Featuring 12 independent electrodes, it offers precise capacitance sensing (10 pF to over 2000 pF with 0.01 pF resolution), reliable touch detection, and even a proximity sensing mode where all electrodes combine to detect nearby presence.

Perfect for DIY electronics enthusiasts and makers, this Grove module simplifies adding sophisticated touch input to your Arduino, Raspberry Pi, or other microcontroller projects. Thanks to its I2C interface and hardware-configurable addresses (0x5B to 0x5D), you can daisy-chain up to three modules for a total of 36 touch inputs on a single I2C bus. Each electrode features independent autocalibration, ensuring stable performance.

The V3 iteration brings enhanced stability and safety, with two additional GND pins and wider pin spacing to prevent accidental shorts. Eight of the twelve electrodes are multifunctional, capable of driving LEDs or serving as general-purpose I/O (GPIO), adding another layer of interactivity to your designs. As part of the extensive Grove ecosystem, it guarantees “Plug and Play” convenience for rapid prototyping and versatile applications.

Key Features:

• Versatile Sensing: Integrated capacitance sensing, precise touch detection, and near proximity sensing capabilities.
• MPR121 Powered: Based on the reliable Freescale MPR121 capacitive touch sensor controller.
• 12 Independent Electrodes: Create custom keypads or individual touch points.
• High-Resolution Capacitance Measurement: Detects capacitance from 10 pF to over 2000 pF with up to 0.01 pF resolution.
• I2C Interface: Simple two-wire communication with your microcontroller.
• Hardware Configurable I2C Address: Use multiple sensors (up to 3, for 36 channels) on the same bus by setting addresses from 0x5B to 0x5D.
• Autocalibration: Each electrode input features independent autocalibration for consistent performance.
• IRQ Interrupt Output: Provides an interrupt signal to notify the host MCU of status changes, reducing polling.
• Multifunctional Pins: 8 electrodes can also be used for LED driving or as GPIOs.
• Enhanced V3 Design: Features two additional GND pins for stability and wider pin spacing for safer handling.
• Grove Compatible: “Plug and Play” with the Grove ecosystem for quick and easy project integration.

Applications:

• Custom touch keypads and control panels.
• Interactive art installations and museum exhibits.
• Proximity detection for waking up devices or triggering events.
• Educational tools and DIY musical instruments.
• Human-machine interfaces (HMI) for various devices.
• Replacing mechanical buttons with sleek, touch-sensitive surfaces.

Specifications:

What’s in the Box:

• 1 x Grove – 12 Key Capacitive I2C Touch Sensor V3 (MPR121) module
• 1 x Grove Cable (Typical)