# Getting Started

## Welcome

Welcome to the CapTIvate™ Technology Guide!

CapTIvate™ is a capacitive user interface design ecosystem that takes the next big step in design process evolution. It brings together a capacitive measurement technology, a design GUI, a capacitive touch software library, and a hardware development platform. This document is the single source of information about how to use that ecosystem.

## Starting Out

If you are a beginner at capacitive sensing, start by learning about capacitive sensing basics. If you have a CapTIvate™ Development Kit, you can quickly get started with hardware by going through the out-of-box experience. Then, you’ll want to check out the technology chapter, which introduces the main principles behind the CapTIvate™ technology.

## Becoming an Expert

Once you’ve got the basics down, become a CapTIvate™ expert by completing workshops for creating a new sensor design, experimenting with ultra-low-power, and using the CapTIvate™ Touch Library. Then explore the other sensor panels that come with the MSP-CAPT-FR2633 Development Kit.

## Kicking off a Design

If you are going to be starting a new design, be sure to visit the design chapter, which will guide you through making design decisions and tradeoffs. You can then reference the CapTIvate™ Design Center quick start guide for help starting a new project. The CCS/IAR project quick start guide explains how to get firmware projects up and running in a development environment such as TI’s Code Composer Studio or IAR Embedded Workbench.

## Using this Guide

If you would like more information about this guide, the introduction chapter provides a brief introduction to every chapter.