Synaptics ForcePad™

A New Dimension in Capacitive Input: Pressure

The latest addition to the Synaptics TouchPad™ portfolio, ForcePad™ technology is a game-
changing innovation that alters the human-machine interface by delivering a new dimension of
control—pressure. ForcePad technology detects per-finger pressure, giving users an entirely new
element of intuitive control. Because it’s engineered to respond to varying levels of pressure,
ForcePad products enable more intuitive and precise user interactions in both operating system
controls and applications including multi-touch gestures. ForcePad solutions are also very thin,
and because it does not require additional buttons, it is designed for larger surface areas that are
compatible with Microsoft’s larger touchpad size recommendations.

This new ForcePad offers:

 Detects individual finger pressure up to 7N

 Variable pressure detection provides allows for more efficient, more ergonomically-
friendly gesture motions. Less repetition makes for a better user experience.

 Easy and standardized programming model for developers

 More intuitive application-based user-interactions

Additionally, ForcePad delivers a more uniform ClickEQ experience compared to traditional

hinge-design ClickPads™. ForcePad is designed with Intel® Ultrabook™ in mind, adding depth
to thinner, lighter notebooks.

Features and Benefits

 Multi-finger Pressure Detection

In addition to best-in-class image sensing performance, ForcePad detects up to 5 fingers of
variable pressure, at 6 bit resolution and up to 700 grams of force.

 Force-enhanced Gesture Continuation

Multi-touch gestures now benefit from Force-enhanced Gesture Continuation technology, which
allows more complete control (e.g. variable speed control) and eliminates repetitive motion.

 Application Control
Synaptics’ ForcePad API provides new pressure capabilities that enable software developers to
deliver more control directly through the TouchPad, resulting in a smoother, more immersive
user experience, and, per Windows 8 guidance, provides more control with fewer menus and
buttons.
 Auto-calibration
The auto-calibration feature solves a major challenge with mechanical ClickPads today: an
inconsistent experience from OEMs using a mix of ODMs resulting in variance in ClickPad
mechanical designs and click force feel.

 ClickEQ Uniform Click Anywhere Technology

ClickEQ technology means no dead zones and drives the best user experience. This enables the
accuracy and functionality of today’s TouchPad technologies, meets Windows 8 Modern
TouchPad guidelines with image sensing fulltime finger tracking, and supports new Windows 8
gestures.