Which touch screen technology suits your application?

There are various types of touch screen technology available nowadays, all designed to fit a range of testing environments from industrial to retail. The most common technologies in the digital signage field are PCAP, SCAP, SAW, IR and RES. All of the technologies have their own advantages and have been specifically developed to withstand certain conditions. So, how do they work, and which one is best for your application? Here’s a brief overview of the key technologies in the touch screen industry.

PCAP:

Projective Capacitive sensors are made from three major components – the sensor glass, the cover glass and a flexible printed circuit (FPC). Some of the benefits of PCAP include drag and drop capabilities, various touch points and the technology is also operational through security glass. Find out more about our own in-house PCAP touch screen range DisplayTouch at www.displaytouch.co.uk

SCAP:

Surface Capacitive is a variation on PCAP, with slight differences such as reduced resolution. A downside to SCAP is that the technology is limited to one touch point; therefore SCAP is only used in very simple applications, whereas PCAP is often found in more developed technologies such as ipads, tablets and smartphones.

IR:

The oldest form of touch screen technology, functioning purely from light transmission. When the light beam is interrupted its location is detected by the sensors on each side of the screen. It is one of the more expensive touch screen options, however its offers high accuracy and can be scaled to any size.  

Resistive:

The most common type of touch screen technology composed using multiple layers separated by thin spaces. The pressure on the layers from touch interaction will complete an electrical circuit. Resistive technology is a low-cost option and has high resistance to water and dust, but doesn’t support multi-touch functionality. 

Surface Acoustic Wave:

SAW technology uses a combination of ultrasonic waves, reflectors and transducers to create the touch screen. This type of technology offers strong clarity but due to its design it cannot be sealed.

If you are looking for a touch screen solution and want to know more about the options available, contact our Account Manager Brendan O’Reilly on 01480 411600. Alternatively, you can view our full product range at www.displaysolutions.co.uk