C&K claims smallest tactile switch for IoT devices

By Gina Roos, editor-in-chief

C&K recently launched its new Nano Tactile (NanoT ) switch series, claiming the smallest tactile switch solution for internet of things (IoT) devices, including smartwatches and medical wearables such as health-monitoring trackers and hearing aids. Growing customer demand for smaller devices is driving component miniaturization, including for switches that power these tiny devices on and off.

The NanoT tactile switches are housed in a 2.2 × 1.70 × 1.65-mm package, which enables designers to add new functionality to their units or reduce their PCB size. They are available in PIP or SMT on edge-mount configurations to protect wearable and medical products from extreme environmental conditions such as vibration, accidental drops, or exposure to liquid while also improving the devices’ life cycles.

Other features include:

• An integrated actuator that lowers cost and integration challenges with full interface buttons
• 100-gf, 160-gf and 240-gf versions
• Electrical life: 300,000 cycles
• IP67 for sealed switch compatibility with PCB coatings

“As wearable and medical devices continue to shrink, it’s critical that the switches used to keep them functioning properly fit within emerging size requirements,” said Jérôme Smolinski, senior product manager at C&K, in a statement. “NanoT is the smallest tactile switch ever released in the market. This is not only a technical leap that keeps pace with the demand for sophisticated products that require smaller components, but it also provides easier and smarter design capabilities for our customers.”