5.4.6 Touch Controllers

The PIC16F and PIC18F MCUs provide touch support through software and hardware CVD (Capacitive Voltage Divider) in their latest families, while the PIC32CM MCU delivers advanced, hardware-accelerated touch sensing for modern, high-performance user interfaces through the Peripheral Touch Controller (PTC). Table 5-19 provides a comparison of features between PIC16F, PIC18F and PIC32CM.

Table 5-19. PIC16F, PIC18F and PIC32CM Touch Features
FeaturePIC16F ADC+CVDPIC18F ADC+CVDPIC32CM PTC
Self-Capacitance ButtonsAny analog I/OsAny analog I/Os

Standard: Up to 16

Enhanced: Up to 36, mix-and-match

Mutual-Capacitance Buttons Through Guard ring outputs Through Guard ring outputs Up to 256, mix-and-match with self capacitance
Driven Shield+Includes “Guard ring digital output drive”Includes “Guard ring digital output drive”Enhanced: Any X/Y line
Boost ModeSupportedSupportedSupported
Window Monitor SupportedSupportedSupported
Analog/Digital Accumulation SupportedSupportedSupported
Polarity ControlSupportedSupportedSupported
Channel Change DelaySelectableSelectableSelectable
Noise Filtering

Differential CVD

Hardware digital filters

Differential CVD

Hardware digital filters

Hardware filtering

Desynchronization

Enhanced: Driven Shield

Auto-Calibration SupportedSupportedSupported
Touch LibraryMTouch™MTouch™QTouch®
Touch Types SupportedButtons, sliders, wheels (software/PTL)Buttons, sliders, wheels (software/PTL)Buttons, sliders, wheels, proximity, advanced gestures
Low Power OperationSupported Supported

Supported

(sleepwalking, event system integration)