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Touchscreens

The document discusses different types of touch screen technologies including resistive, capacitive, surface acoustic wave, and infrared/optical touch screens. It provides details on how each works, their advantages and disadvantages, pricing information, and what objects can activate each type of touch screen.

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Aaron
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28 views

Touchscreens

The document discusses different types of touch screen technologies including resistive, capacitive, surface acoustic wave, and infrared/optical touch screens. It provides details on how each works, their advantages and disadvantages, pricing information, and what objects can activate each type of touch screen.

Uploaded by

Aaron
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Touch Screen Technology

What is a touch screen?


An

electronic visual
display that locates
the coordinates of a
users touch within
display area

Works

[7]

independently of
what is being
displayed on screen

When is it Applicable?
It

allows users to interact


directly with what is being
displayed, rather than
indirectly using a mouse or
keyboard

Can

be used without any


intermediate device

Found

in modern
smartphones, video games,
kiosks, navigation systems,
etc. . .

[1]

Brief History
Invented

by E.A. Johnson
(Royal Radar Est.) around
1965 for air traffic control

HP-150

home computer using


infrared technology in 1983

1993

Apples Newton and


IBMs Simon

2002

Microsofts Windows XP
Tablet

2007

Apples iPhone (Multitouch)

[6]

Touch Screen Technology


Four

different technologies used to make touch


screens today:
Resistive
Capacitive
Surface

Acoustic Wave (SAW)

Infrared

LED or Optical

Resistive Touch Screens


Two

layers of
conductive material

Touch

creates contact
between resistive
layers completing
circuit
[2]

Resistive Touch Screens


Voltage

in circuit
changes based on
position

Controller

determines
location based on
voltages

Any

material can
trigger sensors

[2]

Why Resistive?
Advantages:
Cost-effective

Requirements

Activated

and low power

by any object

Accurate
Disadvantages:
Polyester
Only

surface can be damaged

75% light transmission

Lower

endurance (~35 million touches)

Resistive
Summary
8
4

resistive touch screen will cost about $60


and 5 wire touch screens dont need controllers

For

those that do, they cost less than $5

Any

object can be used to activate the screen

Not

able to register multiple touches

~75%

of light is transferred through (12.5% per layer)

Capacitive Touch Screens


Glass

panel with
conductive layer (Indium
Tin Oxide)

Small

amount of voltage
applied to four corners
of touch screen
[2]

Capacitive Touch Screens


Touch

draws minute
amount of current
creating voltage drop

Coordinates

of point of
contact calculated by
controller
[2]

Why Capacitive?
Advantages:
Durable

surface material

High

endurance (~255 million touches)

Very

accurate

Good

optical quality

Disadvantages:
Triggered

stylus

only by bare finger or active

Capacitive
Summary
8

capacitive touch screen costs about $100

Controllers

can be bought for less than $5

Only

conductive objects can be used to activate

Able

to register multiple touches

~88%

of light is transferred through

Surface Acoustic Wave


Touch Screens
[2]

Surface

consists of glass overlay with


transmitting and receiving transducers

Surface Acoustic Wave


Touch Screens
[2]

Electrical

signals sent to the transmitting


transducers converts to ultrasonic waves

Waves

are directed across screen by reflectors


then directed to receiving transducers

Surface Acoustic Wave


Touch Screens
[2]

When

finger touches screen it absorbs waves

Received

values are compared to stored


digital maps to calculate x and y coordinates

Why SAW?
Advantages:
Best

optical quality

High

surface durability and seal

Activated

by multiple sources

Disadvantages:
Expensive
Contaminates

touches

on screen can cause false-

Surface Acoustic Wave


Summary
We

were not able to find prices for individual


screens

Any
Able

object can be used to activate the screen


to register multiple touches

~100%

of light is transferred through

Infrared/Optical
Touch Screens

[2]

Uses

infrared LEDs and matching


photodetectors

Touching

screen interrupts LEDs

Infrared/Optical
Touch Screens

[8]

Cameras

detect reflected LED caused by touch

Controller

able to calculate coordinates from


camera data

Infrared/Optical
Touch Screens
Advantages:
High

optical clarity

Durable

surface

Supports
Can

multi-touch

scale to large sizes

Disadvantages:
Expensive
Cameras

can get out of alignment

Infrared/Optical
Summary
8

infrared touch screen costs about $160

Any
Able

object can be used to activate the screen


to register multiple touches

~100%

of light is transferred through

Type

Examples Price (DigiKey)

Resistive
[1]

Capacitiv
e [1]

Tool for
Input

$10 (3.5)
$60 (8) Any object
$150 (19)

No

$100 (8)
$160 (19)
$310 (32)

Yes

Finger or
active
stylus

$500 (15)
$850 (19) Any object

SAW
[1]

Infrared/
Optical
[1]

Multitouch

Yes

*includes touch screen


and LCD monitor

$130 (8)
$250 (19) Any object
$320 (26)

Yes

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