Touch Keyboard

A touch sensor, comprising:

• a base layer comprised of a substrate and a plurality of sense electrodes disposed thereon;
• a spacer layer disposed on top of the base layer, and wherein the spacer layer includes a plurality of apertures through the spacer layer;
• a top layer disposed on the spacer layer and comprised of a substrate, wherein the top layer includes a plurality of drive electrodes;
• and
• an overlay disposed on the top layer, wherein the top layer includes a display showing a plurality of buttons;
• wherein an intersection of the sense electrodes and the drive electrodes forms a switch, wherein at least one of the plurality of apertures in the spacer layer and at least one of the buttons on the overlay is disposed at the intersection, wherein a deflection of the top layer over the intersection results in a detectable change in capacitance at the button.

A method for providing a touch sensor, comprising:

• providing a base layer having sense electrodes disposed thereon, a spacer layer disposed on the base layer, and wherein the spacer layer includes a plurality of apertures through the spacer layer, and a top layer disposed on the spacer layer, wherein the top layer includes a plurality of drive electrodes;
• providing an overlay disposed on top of the top layer, wherein the top layer includes a display showing a button, wherein an intersections of the sense electrodes and the drive electrodes form a switch, wherein at least one of the apertures in the spacer layer and the button on the overlay is disposed at the intersection;
• and
• detecting a change in capacitance when the top layer over the intersection is deflected.