0 theory of operation – Interlink Electronics VersaPad PS2 User Manual
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PS2 VersaPad®
Integration Guide
3.0 Theory of Operation
The touchpad sensor is a four-wire resistive type. The pad is composed of two resistive
layers separated by an air gap. One plate is used for the X-axis and the other is used for the
Y-axis. When pressure is applied, the two resistive plates make contact. A microcontroller
measures position and pressure then uses advanced, proprietary algorithms to yield smooth
mouse functionality. Figure 1 shows the electrical representation of the sensor and Figure 2
shows a simplified exploded view of the sensor.
Figure 1: VersaPad Equivalent Electrical Circuit
Figure 2: Simplified Exploded View VersaPad Sensor