Touch Screen Technology

Content
What are Touch Screens?
History and Development
Why use Touch Screen
Elements of a Touchscreen System
Touch Screen Technologies
Application of Touch Screens 
Advantages
Disadvantages
Conclusion
What are Touch Screens?
It is the most user friendly input device used to
interface with a PC.
The user touches the screen to select options
presented on it, where associated hardware and
software locate that touch.
History and Development
In 1971 Dr. Sam Hurst, founder of Elographics
developed the first touch opaque sensor
“Elograph” at the University of Kentucky.
In 1974 He developed the first real touch screen.
In 1977, Elographics developed the five-wire
resistive technology then with the backing of
Siemens Corporation, developed a curved glass
sensor called the touch screen.
The new transparent technology, AccuTouch, was
later developed by the founders of Elographics, Dr.
Hurst and Bill Colwell.
Why use Touch Screens?
Enable first-time users to interface with computers
instantly, without any training.
Eliminate operator errors because users make
selections from clearly defined menus.
Eliminate keyboards and mice, which many novice
users find difficult to use.
Rugged enough to stand up to harsh conditions
where keyboards and mice can be damaged.
Provide fast access to all types of digital content.
Ensure that no space is wasted since the input
device is completely integrated into the monitor.
How does a Touch screen Work?
Main touch screen components:
 Touch sensor
 Controller
 Software driver
Touch sensor
A touch screen sensor is a clear glass panel with
a touch responsive surface which is placed over a
display screen so that the responsive area of the
panel covers the viewable area of the display
screen.

The sensor generally has an electrical current or

signal going through it and touching the screen
causes a voltage or signal change. This voltage
change is used to determine the location of the
touch to the screen
 Controller
The controller is a small
PC card that connects
between the touch sensor
and the PC. It takes
information from the
touch sensor and
translates it into
information that PC can
understand.
Software Driver
The driver is a software that allows the touch
screen and computer to work together. It tells the
operating system how to interpret the touch event
information that is sent from the controller.

Most touch screen drivers today are a mouse-

emulation type driver. This makes touching the
screen the same as clicking your mouse at the
same location on the screen.
 Touch Screen Technologies
Resistive
Capacitive
Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW)
Infrared LED or Optical
With a light touch, the conductive coating makes electrical
contact with the coating on the glass.
 The voltages at the point ofcontact are the analog
representation of the position touched. The controller
digitizes these voltages and transmits them to the
computer for processing.
Advantages of Resistive
High Resolution and Accuracy
Fast Response
Pressure-activated by finger or gloved hand with a very light
touch
Durable hard-coat front surface can be nonglare treated for    
reflection control or polished for maximum clarity
Touchscreens and controllers are safety agency-approved
components,so certification of your system is easier
Disadvantages of Resistive
80 % Clarity
Resistive layers can be damaged by a sharp object
 Capacitive Touch screen
There are 2 types of capacitive touch screens:

Surface capacitive
-consists of a uniform conductive coating on a glass panel
on which a low voltage is evenly applied fromthe corners.
-The touch location is measured from the ratio of the
current flow from the corners
Advantages:
Durable surface material
High endurance (~255 million touches)
Very accurate
Good optical quality
Disadvantages:
Triggered only by bare finger or active stylus
 Surface Acoustic Wave Touch screen

Made of a glass overlay with transmitting and

receiving piezoelectric transducers for both the X and
Y axes.
When a touch occurs, the wave is absorbed shortening
the echo time it takes to reach the receivers.
Advantages of Surface Acoustic Wave
Excellent Image Clarity -Very High LightTransmission
Excellent Durability -Stable "No-Drift" Operation
High Resolution - Very Light Touch
Fast Touch Response -X,Y and Z-axis Response
Finger or Gloved-Hand Operation

Disadvantages of Surface Acoustic Wave

Must be touched by finger, gloved hand, or soft-tip stylus. 
Something hard like a pen won't work
Not completely sealable, can be affected by large  amounts of
grease, water,  or dirt on the touchscreen
Application of Touch Screens 
 Informational kiosks
 Trade show displays
 Museum / tourism displays
 Point-of-sale terminals
 Restaurant systems
 Employee time clocks
 Industrial process controls
 World Wide Web access kiosks
 Home automation systems
 Casino and other gaming systems
 Computer access for the physically disabled
 Pros & Cons
Direct pointing to the Low precision by using
objects. finger
Fast User has to sit or stand
Finger or pen is usable closer to the screen
(No cable required) The screen may be
No keyboard necessary covered more by using
Suited to: novices, hand
application for No direct activation to
information retrieval etc the selected function
Conclusion
Touch systems represent a rapidly growing subset
of the display market.
The majority of touch systems include touch
sensors relying on vacuum-deposited coatings, so
touch coatings present opportunity for suppliers of
vacuum coatings and coating equipments.
Touch sensor manufactures currently require thin
films in the areas of transparent conductors, optical
interference coating and mechanical protective
coatings.