# Adafruit Capacitive Touch Sensor Breakouts ## Overview ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/009/206/medium800/proximity_2013_06_15_IMG_1912.jpg?1396884979) http://youtu.be/-egOJDPEkkU These breakout boards are a simple way to add capacitive touch to your project. Just power with 1.8 to 5.5VDC and touch the pad to activate the sensor. These touch switches interface easily to any project - with or without a microcontroller. When a capacitive load (such as a human hand) is in close proximity to the sense-pad, the sensor detects the change in capacitance and activates the switch. Custom sense-pads can be made from nearly any conductive material and these sensors can detect touch through thin layers of non-conductive materials such as glass, plastic, fabric or even wood. The breakouts come in three styles: ## Momentary This sensor has a built-in sense-pad and is active for as long as the sensor area is touched. The sense-pad can be extended with wire and almost any conductive material. ![proximity_1374back_LRG.jpg](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/009/201/medium640/proximity_1374back_LRG.jpg?1396884895) ![proximity_1374_LRG.jpg](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/009/202/medium640/proximity_1374_LRG.jpg?1396884905) ## Toggle This sensor also has a built-in sense-pad. It becomes active when touched and remains active until it is touched again. As with the momentary sensor, the sense-pad can be extended with wire and almost any conductive material. ![proximity_1375back_LRG.jpg](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/009/203/medium640/proximity_1375back_LRG.jpg?1396884916) ![proximity_1375_LRG.jpg](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/009/204/medium640/proximity_1375_LRG.jpg?1396884928) ## 5-Pad Momentary This version combines 5 momentary switches into one breakout. There are 5 pins for attaching wires to up to 5 external sensor pads. ![proximity_1362_LRG.jpg](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/009/205/medium640/proximity_1362_LRG.jpg?1396884943) [We also have a new 12-Key version with it's own tutorial over here!](https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-mpr121-12-key-capacitive-touch-sensor-breakout-tutorial "Link: https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-mpr121-12-key-capacitive-touch-sensor-breakout-tutorial") ![proximity_pinout.jpg](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/018/443/medium640/proximity_pinout.jpg?1406308242) - [Next Page](https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-capacitive-touch-sensor-breakouts/assembly-and-wiring.md) ## Featured Products ### Standalone 5-Pad Capacitive Touch Sensor Breakout - AT42QT1070 [Standalone 5-Pad Capacitive Touch Sensor Breakout - AT42QT1070](https://www.adafruit.com/product/1362) This breakout board is the simplest way to create a project with mutiple capacitive touch sensors. No microcontroller is required here - just power with 1.8 to 5.5VDC and connect up to 5 conductive pads to the 5 left-hand pins. When a capacitive load is detected (e.g. a person touches one of... In Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/1362) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/1362/guides) ### Standalone Momentary Capacitive Touch Sensor Breakout [Standalone Momentary Capacitive Touch Sensor Breakout](https://www.adafruit.com/product/1374) This breakout board is the simplest way to create a project with a single "momentary" capacitive touch sensor. No microcontroller is required here - just power with 1.8 to 5.5VDC and touch the pad to activate the sensor. When a capacitive load is detected (e.g. a person... In Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/1374) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/1374/guides) ### Standalone Toggle Capacitive Touch Sensor Breakout [Standalone Toggle Capacitive Touch Sensor Breakout](https://www.adafruit.com/product/1375) This breakout board is the simplest way to create a project with a single "toggle" capacitive touch sensor. No microcontroller is required here - just power with 1.8 to 5.5VDC and touch the pad to activate the sensor. This sensor is a toggle output type: touch-on then... In Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/1375) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/1375/guides) ### Adafruit 12-Key Capacitive Touch Sensor Breakout - MPR121 [Adafruit 12-Key Capacitive Touch Sensor Breakout - MPR121](https://www.adafruit.com/product/1982) Add lots of touch sensors to your next microcontroller project with this easy-to-use 12-channel capacitive touch sensor breakout board, starring the MPR121. This chip can handle up to 12 individual touchpads. The MPR121 has support for only I2C, which can be implemented with nearly... In Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/1982) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/1982/guides) ### Copper Foil Tape with Conductive Adhesive - 25mm x 15 meter roll [Copper Foil Tape with Conductive Adhesive - 25mm x 15 meter roll](https://www.adafruit.com/product/1127) Copper tape can be an interesting addition to your toolbox. The tape itself is made of thin pure copper so its extremely flexible and can take on nearly any shape. You can easily solder to it, and the tape itself can carry current just like a wire. On the back is an electrically conductive... In Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/1127) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/1127/guides) ### Woven Conductive Fabric - 20cm square [Woven Conductive Fabric - 20cm square](https://www.adafruit.com/product/1168) This woven conductive fabric is silver colored and made of Copper+Nickel-plated polyester. Use small pieces for soft switches, plush keypads, capacitive touch sensors, and other textile interfaces. This highly conductive fabric has a resistance of less than 1 ohm per foot in any direction... Out of Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/1168) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/1168/guides) ### Large Plastic Project Enclosure - Weatherproof with Clear Top [Large Plastic Project Enclosure - Weatherproof with Clear Top](https://www.adafruit.com/product/905) Store your project safe and sound in this nice weatherproof box with a clear top. We picked up this box because we like the machinable ABS plastic body and tough clear polycarbonate cover, the built in weatherproof gasket seal, and the easy-open screws that can be taken apart as many times as... In Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/905) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/905/guides) ### RGB LCD Shield Kit w/ 16x2 Character Display - Only 2 pins used! [RGB LCD Shield Kit w/ 16x2 Character Display - Only 2 pins used!](https://www.adafruit.com/product/714) This new Adafruit shield makes it easy to use a 16x2 Character LCD. We really like the RGB LCDs we stock in the shop both the [RGB negative](http://www.adafruit.com/products/399) and [RGB positive](http://www.adafruit.com/products/398). Unfortunately, these LCDs do... Out of Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/714) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/714/guides) ## Related Guides - [Capacitive Touch Holiday Light Control](https://learn.adafruit.com/capacitive-touch-holiday-light-control.md) - [Raspberry Pi Zero NPR One Radio](https://learn.adafruit.com/raspberry-pi-zero-npr-one-radio.md) - [Capacitive Touch Sensors on the Raspberry Pi](https://learn.adafruit.com/capacitive-touch-sensors-on-the-raspberry-pi.md) - [Raspberry Gear](https://learn.adafruit.com/raspberry-gear.md) - [Glowing Bottle Castle and Capacitive Touch Piano](https://learn.adafruit.com/glowing-bottle-castle-and-capacitive-touch-piano.md) - [CircuitPython Hardware: MPR121 Capacitive Touch Breakout](https://learn.adafruit.com/circuitpython-hardware-mpr121-capacitive-touch-breakout.md) - [Arduino "Hunt The Wumpus"](https://learn.adafruit.com/arduino-hunt-the-wumpus.md) - [Simple Arduino-based USB VID & PID tester](https://learn.adafruit.com/simple-arduino-based-usb-vid-and-pid-tester.md) - [Metal Inlay Capacitive Touch Buttons](https://learn.adafruit.com/metal-inlay-capacitive-touch-buttons.md) - [Sous-vide controller powered by Arduino - The SousViduino!](https://learn.adafruit.com/sous-vide-powered-by-arduino-the-sous-viduino.md) - [RGB LCD Shield](https://learn.adafruit.com/rgb-lcd-shield.md) - [I2C Addresses and Troublesome Chips](https://learn.adafruit.com/i2c-addresses.md) - [Adafruit 24LC32 I2C EEPROM Breakout - 32Kbit / 4 KB](https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-24lc32-i2c-eeprom-breakout-32kbit-4-kb.md) - [Mini Pan-Tilt Kit Assembly](https://learn.adafruit.com/mini-pan-tilt-kit-assembly.md) - [LIS3MDL Triple-axis Magnetometer](https://learn.adafruit.com/lis3mdl-triple-axis-magnetometer.md)