Metal That Feels
The Problem with Physics
If you ask a standard electrical engineer to put a touch sensor behind a solid slab of stainless steel, they will likely look at you like you’ve just asked them to square a circle.
Why? Because of a minor complication called the Faraday Cage effect.
In the world of traditional capacitive touch, sensors work by detecting the subtle electric charge from your finger, but metal is conductive, it loves electricity. When you place a metal sheet over a capacitive sensor, the metal absorbs and scatters that electric field, effectively blinding the sensor. It’s a "Faraday Cage", a shield that blocks the signal completely.
For decades, this law of physics forced designers into a corner. If you wanted metal, you had to cut holes for buttons, or use fragile, paper-thin foils that felt cheap.
We looked at that design challenge and decided we can do better.
The TG0 Loophole: Don't Sense the Spark, Sense the Bend
We didn't actually break physics (we aren't wizards), but we did find a loophole.
While metal blocks electric fields, it cannot block Newtonian mechanics. When you press on a piece of metal, even a thick, solid block of aluminum, it bends. You can't see it with your naked eye, but it happens.
TG0’s Metal Sensing technology ignores electricity. Instead, it detects micron-level deflections in the material itself. We are talking about movements as small as one-tenth the width of a human hair.
By using a smart polymer sensor behind the metal, we can track exactly where and how hard you are pressing.
- No electrical field required.
- No cut-outs required.
- No "special" metal required. (Standard CNC-machined material works just fine).
A Break from Tradition with "Metal Sensing"
This isn't just about showing off. Removing the need for holes and plastic buttons solves some of the biggest headaches in hardware design:
- The Ultimate in Hygienic Design: In medical and industrial settings, buttons are dirt traps. A solid, seamless metal surface has no crevices for bacteria to hide in. You can wipe it down with ease.
- Long-Lasting Devices: Create durable and longer lasting devices by removing moving parts without losing control or functionality. Mechanical buttons get dirty, sticky and wear down with use. By removing these parts you can build inspired devices that will delight consumers and stand the test of time.
- The "Premium" Factor: There is nothing quite like the cool touch of real steel or aluminum. Now, automotive and hi-fi brands can keep that seamless "monolith" look without sacrificing smart controls like sliders or scroll wheels.
We’ve turned "dead" structural material into a smart interface. We’ve moved from simple buttons to full XY trackpad functionality on solid opaque surfaces.
So, to the laws of physics: We still respect you. We just found a way to work around you.
If you’d like to learn more our see a demo reach out to our team today!
