Touchscreens are technology that shows electronic visual display that can detect the presence and location of a touch within the display area. Although this technology was invented in the UK in 1965 it only gathered commercial pace with the spread of computers in the 80s and has witnessed the greatest boost in momentum in recent years from the mobile phone sector. There are almost a dozen different technologies for touchscreens but by far the 2 most common are resistive and capacitive.
Capacitive touch panels are the advanced technology used in touch screens. They rely on the capacitance of the human body to generate touch signals, unlike resistive technology that requires pressure to activate touch events. Capacitive touch panels come in two types, surface capacitive and projected capacitive. They have a longer life as their components do not need to move and only require calibration after manufacture or none at all. These touch panels are commonly found in smartphones, tablets, appliances, and monitors due to their advanced capabilities.
Capacitive touchscreens involve an insulating outer layer (normally glass) coated with a transparent conductive metal compound. The technology works by detecting changes in electrical conductivity across that layer. As the human body is also an electrical conductor, touching the surface of the screen results in interference of the screen’s electrostatic field, the location of which can be detected and sent to the controller for processing. Because the technology relies upon electrical interference from a conductive source capacitive touchscreens do not work through most gloves as they are electrically insulating.
Likewise an ordinary stylus or other object cannot be used. Yes it has rapidly become the common touch screen technology found in virtually all touchscreen consumer mobile devices today. Capacitive screens have become loved for use of ‘gestures’ and ‘multi-touch’. Whilst neither is exclusive to this type of screen it could be fairly said that these motions are easier and a little more natural when less pressure need be applied. However, we rarely encounter a use for these types of touch-motions under business conditions.
Resistive touch panels use pressure to activate touch inputs, which means they can be used with a stylus or gloves. These touch panels were the original type of touchscreen and are still widely used today. However, resistive touch panels are more susceptible to dents and scratches as they are made of plastic without cover glass. On the other hand, capacitive touch screens rely on the electrical properties of the human body to detect touch inputs, making them more durable and reliable in various environments. When choosing between resistive and capacitive touch panels, it is important to consider the project’s specific needs and circumstances.
Resistive touchscreens respond to pressure and have been perhaps the most common implementation of touch screen technology due to its low cost. A resistive touchscreen panel is made up of electrically conductive layers. When the panel is touched the layers come into contact at that point which can be accurately detected and sent to the controller for processing. Because the touch is sensitive to applied pressure the touch source can be any object, either a human finger (including gloved) or any other inanimate pointer.
One disadvantage however of resistive technology is its vulnerability of being damaged by sharp objects. Although uncommon and unknown by many resistive touch screens can and do support multi-touch. Although multi-touch is rarely a useful feature for most business processes, if required it does not limit your choice of technology. In fact we have devices that support 4 independent touch points on a resistive screen.
There is no definitive answer to whether a resistive or capacitive touch screen is better, as it depends on the specific use case and requirements.
Resistive touch screens are made up of multiple layers that respond to pressure, allowing for input from a variety of objects such as fingers, stylus pens, or gloved hands. They can be more accurate in terms of touch input and are often used in industrial applications or environments where the screen may be exposed to harsh conditions.
On the other hand, capacitive touch screens rely on the electrical properties of the human body to detect touch. They are typically more sensitive and provide a smoother touch experience. Capacitive touch screens are commonly used in smartphones, tablets, and other consumer devices.
Ultimately, the choice between resistive and capacitive touch screens depends on factors such as the intended use, desired level of accuracy, durability requirements, and budget constraints. It is important to consider these factors and evaluate the pros and cons of each technology before making a decision.
When considering the most suitable technology for your business device it’s important therefore to know how the device will be interacted with by its users. As always with computers it’s the software that guides the hardware choices. As we are all consumers ourselves it’s easy to assume that the technology we carry in your pocket by way of our mobile phones is the right technology for all devices utilizing similar technology concepts. This can only be the case by luck – a business device demands its proposed functions be means tested against available technology options without preconceptions and biases.
The key questions to ask when selecting the right touchscreen technology are:
Knowing the user type can give an early indication of preferred screen type. Perhaps because the type of user already has a distinct and previously evaluated preference for a particular screen type. Sometimes something as simple as this can be overlooked by those responsible for procuring a device. Also determining and understanding the user as a start point should prevent us from making the wrong choice as we consider other factors.
Ultimately everything we consider later must again be tested against ‘Who’ – is a perceived benefit still a benefit for the user. For example if the users’ of a device will vary such as with the general public then we must keep in mind that we cannot expect the user to familiarise themselves with any advanced method of use that a single carrier-user may benefit from.
Knowing ‘how’ will typically be the decider for most businesses. If you have key criteria in the ‘how’ then making the wrong decision here could effectively make the resulting decision completely ineffective. What you must know is that if you (a) wish to use a stylus, or, (b) the user will be wearing gloves, then you will require a resistive screen. There are workarounds with capacitive screens but the reality is that they are poor solutions. Capacitive pens are either blotter-style only, or very inaccurate and with varying efficiency in contact.
Environment can make a difference, particularly if that environment is hazardous. If the screen is not inherently IP protected and any sort of transparent cover is placed over the screen (for example as part of a protective case) then you will require a resistive screen. Pressure can easily transfer through various layers, but the electrical interference of your finger necessary to interact with capacitive screens is easily impeded. For example some screen protectors, especially higher quality ones with transflective qualities will interrupt the mechanism that capacitive screens rely upon and the two are therefore not compatible.
In some ways the most important question is regarding the function of the tablet. Business use of technology is always different from consumer usage and therefore it’s important to identify exactly what the tablet will be used for and specifically what the user must do to achieve it. These are questions you must ask and answer frequently testing against the previous questions. If you application requires accuracy, touching small areas/objects/button and/or signature capture/drawing/other operations that require natural pen movement then the obvious technology choice is a resistive touchscreen.
Although the consumer market has exhibited a trend of capacitive screen mobile devices, resistive screen technology remains very much in use and is frequently preferred by business users. Where the capacitive touch screen suffers is with accuracy. This may be unnoticeable ‘all-thumbs friendly apps of the modern smartphone which centre around swiping gestures and for zooming in and out of web pages. But these consumer-orientated functions rarely matter to businesses that would prefer greater accuracy.
To quantify this, technically speaking resistive is 3-4 more accurate than capacitive due to the sensor spacing. With a capacitive screen you cannot achieve a fine-tip contact such as you would expect from a pen. This is why capacitive styli are typically 5mm or so in diameter and in many cases like a bingo blotter. If your application is straight forward button activation then this may not present an issue but for most uses, especially signature capture and any interface akin to the controls common within the Windows GUI then resistive is a more comfortable choice.
Where businesses do not have a specific requirement for resistive screen touch technology, capacitive touchscreens provide a solution that offers both a familiar interface for users and an easily accessible means of interfacing with simple finger control.
Other technologies do exist although their implementation is not as common.
Infrared touchscreens use an array of infrared LED emitters with respective photo detectors around the perimeter of the screen. Essentially the screen is surrounded with horizontal and vertical beams enabling the sensors to accurately detect the location of touch. A major benefit is that it can detect any input and because the sensors surround rather then fill the screen the longevity and durability is very high. Of course the optical clarity of the screen is also greater because no sensor layer or conductive layer lies between the user and the actual display element.
Infrared touchscreens are generally used in outdoor applications, point-of-sale and other environments where multiple occasional users are involved, or anywhere where the pros of the technology offer a significant advantage.
Active digitizers are an input method most commonly associated with an input tablet and pen pair. The ‘tablet’ in this description is simply that and does not embody a visual display; rather it is a flat surface on which to use the connected pen. Classical use was for digital artists to have an input method most akin to using a pen or brush. However this input method can be used in conjunction with a display surface so that the pen input is directly on top of and interacting with the display elements below.
This is usually implemented as a dual input when both an active digitizer and either resistive or capacitive technology is used in tandem. This is so that you can still use the touch screen without the special pen paired to the digitizer.
The main advantage to the active digitizer solution is that palm rejection is inherent. E.g. if your palm touches the screen whilst using the pen, the palm is not interpreted as a touch point, as only the pen is being recognized. However active digitizers are usually integrated into only high end devices making this technology combination currently beyond the lower and mid-range sector.
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