Pi Cap
Turn touch into sound, light or data with your Raspberry Pi
The Pi Cap is an easy-to-attach add-on board that brings capacitive sensing to your Raspberry Pi projects. It features 12 capacitive electrodes that can be used as touch or distance sensors. Extend each of these electrodes with Electric Paint or other conductive materials to create sensors on a wide range of substrates.
12 CAPACITIVE ELECTRODES
12 capacitive touch and proximity electrodes.
MULTI-FUNCTION BUTTON
Button that can be programmed, for example as an off-switch or to control volume.
USER-PROGRAMMABLE RGB LED
LED that can be used for signalling changes and events.
PROTOTYPING AREA
Add more features to the Pi Cap or Raspberry Pi.
3 LIBRARIES
Example code and libraries written in C++, Python, and Node.js.
3.5MM AUDIO SOCKET
Adds an audio output to Raspberry Pis that don't have any audio outputs.
Technical Information
The Pi Cap is an add on board for the Raspberry Pi A+, B+, 2 B, 3 B and Zero. It features a dedicated capacitive sensing IC, 3.5mm stereo audio output, push switch, RGB LED and prototyping area.
Download Technical Data Sheet- Touch IC – Resurgent Semiconductor MPR121
- Audio output – 15mW into 32Ω via 3.5mm stereo socket
- Input voltage – 3.3V (via 40-way Raspberry Pi GPIO connector)
- Input current – 17mA idle, 36mA with all features in concurrent use.
- Capacitive touch electrodes – 12 (of which 8 can be configured as 3.3V digital I/O)
- Digital I/O Pins – 7, brought out from 40-way Raspberry Pi GPIO connector – pins 12, 13, 15, 16, 18, 22, 36
- Push switch – active low momentary push switch connected to pin 7 on the 40-way Raspberry Pi GPIO connector (requires the Pi's onboard pullup resistor to be enabled in software)
- Active low, red connected to J8.31 (5mA when on), green to J8.29 (1mA when on), blue to J8.37 (4mA when on)
- Prototyping area – 84 pads (7 x 12) with 1mm diameter drills spaced 2.54mm apart.
- Dimensions – 85mm x 40mm x 7mm
12 high resolution capacitive electrodes
The Pi Cap uses the MPR121 to create 12 capacitive electrodes. You can program the electrodes as touch or proximity sensors, and extend them using Electric Paint or other conductive materials. Use the electrodes to create sensors on a wide range of substrates, from walls, floors, and tabletops to textiles or paper.
Use with Raspberry Pi and Pi Zero
The Pi Cap works both with the Raspberry Pi and the Pi Zero. This means that you can use all of the Raspberry Pi’s features for your capacitive sensing project, like WiFi or Bluetooth.
