by admin on August 14, 2011
Keywords:
Touch Screen, technology, touchpad, flexible, intuitive
The introduction of touch screen technology is one of the biggest advancements in the world of consumer electronics. Once you browse through the specs of the most popular mobile devices and music players of today, you will see a lot of them having a touch screen on top and a couple of user interface tweaks to go with it. Is it really time to let go of the old plastic knobs and touchpads that you have grown accustomed to? Here are a few things you need to consider when comparing touch screens and touchpads.
Touchpad vs. touch screen
Although touchpads can guarantee quicker browsing, they tend to use a lot of space both externally and internally. Sometimes, they also lack haptic feedback so you will have a hard time using them. On the other hand, touch screen devices are usually less bulky despite their large screen sizes. They are also responsive and very easy to use because they have dedicated virtual buttons for every function you will need. Touch screens are also very useful in environments where the use of human interface devices will not be practical. For example, information kiosks come with an intuitive touch screen interface that does not require training to operate.
Types of touch screen technology
Although the popularity of touch screen devices continues to increase, most people are not even aware of the different types of touch screen. Each type has its own features and unique characteristics. While some of them may be more economical, others may be more responsive and sensitive. A resistive touch screen can last longer than other technologies so it has been widely used in the commercial zone. It is also more flexible than other touch screens but it usually fails to deliver sharper images. Most devices that come with resistive touch screens also have a bulky appearance.
Capacitive touch screen is capable of emitting 90% of light, which makes its screen clear. It also has a long life because of its resistivity. However, they can only respond to the touch of the finger so you cannot use a stylus or any other object to navigate it. Finally, the surface acoustic wave touch screen is the most advanced type of this new technology. It comes with an impressive wave mechanism so it easily supports versatile action. It also emits 100% of light so it can deliver clear and crisp images. However, it tends to have a very short life and it can be very expensive so it is not ideal for those who have a limited budget.
Now that you already know more about touch screen technology, it will be easier for you to determine why people prefer using it rather than traditional touchpad controls. Since it is very responsive, it will allow you to browse your new device quickly. When used in stores and other establishments, touch screen kiosks can also deliver the convenience of self-service. This is especially true in the case of convenience stores, rental DVD kiosks, and other busy establishments. Mobile devices, music players, and computers with touch screen technology are also less bulky because they do not call for the use of a separate keyboard, touchpad, and other haptic controls.
by admin on August 12, 2011
Keywords: Resistive, Surface Wave, Capacitive, Infrared, Touch Screen
Touch screen technology is shaping the modern world and the average Joe is still curious as to what exactly touch screen is and how exactly does it work. We have all seen that the technology is really great and its also evolved to the point where it has been become durable enough to use on such things like mobile phones and other media devices.
The very first device that has used touch screen technology was created in 1965. The technology was developed by E.A. Johnson at the Royal Radar Establishment in Malvern, UK. While the project had been around for some time, Johnson decided to share his findings to the rest of the world via an article which was published in 1967.
The most common types of touch screen technologies that are being used in the modern age are the following:
Resistive
Capacitive
Infrared
Surface wave
Each of these types of touch screen technology has seen its uses and some are still being used today. Some even go further as they are also the subject of most research and development by a lot electronics companies.
There is no superior type of touch screen technologies as each one of them has one thing that makes them better than each other. Aside from this, each type of technology is built for a specific usage so that would mean that there will be no direct competition between each one of them.
Resistive technology for touch screens usually works extremely well when the user uses a stylus for navigating. PDAs or Personal Digital Assistants are some of the most common devices that have touch screens. For this type of tech, the screen is composed of two flexible sheets that are both coated with a resistive material. The two sheets are divided in the middle by an air gap or in some cases, for better performance, microdots. When a stylus applies pressure on one part of the screen, the two sheets inside connects and provides the sensors the accurate location of the pressure.
Capacitive sensing on the other hand works only with one insulator on one side and a conductive layer on the side which also gets a good dose of electricity to create a uniform electrostatic field. When a finger lands on the screen the capacitance changes and this informs the device, either the laptop trackpad or the iPhones entire screen that this is the location.
Unlike the other forms of technologies that are being used, the infrared technology uses several X-Y infrared photodetector pairs which are simultaneously placed around the edges of the screen to help detect the disruption in the somewhat uniform LED beams that are interconnected. When it was first developed, infrared touchscreens were thought to be able to easily detect anything the disrupts the uniformity. This can include fingers, gloves or even a stylus pen.
Surface wave technology follows a different school of thought. Rather than putting its faith on lights and lasers this particular touch screen technology relies on the usage of acoustics or sound waves, ultrasonic waves to be exact. These ultrasonic waves pass on the touchscreen panel which is absorbed by the screen with the data absorbed in the same time used by the device to know what needs to be done.
Touch Screen Technologies
