PCAP: The touch technology explained

PCAP touch technology is widely used in smart phones and tablets, but is fast becoming the favoured option for larger touch screen systems, taking over from the old favourite resistive touch. Although there are various different touch technologies in the market, PCAP is proving to be one of the most reliable, and here’s why...

How it works 

Projected capacitive sensors are made up of three major components; the sensor glass, the cover glass, and a flexible printed circuit (FPC) to the controller IC. The sensor glass is made up of a series of electrodes that are configured into rows and columns that are “read” one by one to get an exact reading or count. These electrodes are made of a transparent conductive coating called indium tin oxide (ITO) The DisplayTouch range uses an enhanced Single Indium Tin Oxide Structure. Each electrode is routed back with a metal trace to a connection point where the FPC can be bonded.

The cover glass is optically bonded with an optical clear adhesive on top of the sensor glass, burying the electrodes within the stack of the lamination. The cover glass serves as a dielectric between your touch and the electrodes of the sensor glass. It also acts as a barrier layer, protecting the sensitive electrodes from the environment and any potential damage.

The controller continually scans and monitors the capacitance of the electrodes. When your finger touches the surface of the cover glass it pulls a small charge from the electrodes and using complex algorithms the controller can determine the exact location of your touch, the results are extremely precise.

Projected capacitive touch technology has many benefits, in particular, a multi-touch capability, extreme durability with up to 250 million hours lifespan and superior optics with over 90% optical transmission. 

Benefits include

-          PCAP offers multi-touch capabilities

-          PCAP offers protective shielding and longer life usage

-          PCAP supports drag and drop/various gesture movements 

-          PCAP boasts strong touch accuracy 

How we can help you save money 

Although PCAP can sometimes be deemed as a less cost effective solution, we’ve developed our own range of PCAP monitors that offer a reliable, cost saving solution. The DisplayTouch range covers all types of touch technology, but specialises on PCAP technology. Some of the latest products to be added to the DisplayTouch range include new vandal-resistant monitors and 10 point touch displays. To find out more about the touch technologies available and our DisplayTouch range, visit www.displaytouch.co.uk or contact us directly on 01480 411600. 

New Year & New Products at Display Solutions

For many of us, it’s the first week back after the Christmas break and already we’re wondering where time is going. With the middle of January fast approaching, we're all busy trying to catch up on emails and orders filling our inbox's whilst finding out the latest technology trends to follow in 2015. So, as time is precious to many, let me give you a brief breakdown of what you expect to see from Display Solutions over the next 12 months.  

Firstly, you can expect to hear a lot more of the name DisplayTouch being mentioned, and make sure you remember it. With an innovative new vandal resistant monitor now available and a broad new and improved PCAP range in sizes  from 15" - 42", DisplayTouch can be the answer to your digital signage requirements. With competitive pricing and a value added service, why not give our Account Manager Brendan O’Reilly a call today? You can reach him on 01480 411600 to find out more about our exclusive range. 

Secondly, we've got some exciting new product releases from our Taiwanese partner Shuttle on the way later this month. If you are looking for a reliable barebone system with the latest Intel chipset and Haswell processor, make sure you register your interest with us today. Email info@displaysolutions.co.uk or call us on 01480 411600.

And that’s not it! With some unique new products being released from our display partner Litemax, including the latest stretched display from the spanpixel range, and the intelligent transpixel transparent display range, there is plenty to look forward to. With access to a wide variety of embedded and digital signage products, we can provide you with a solution tailored to your individual requirements. For further information on our Litemax product range, please visit our website www.displaysolutions.co.uk

Remember, you can stay up to date with our latest product news by connecting with us on social media. Follow us on Twitter, Like us on Facebook and connect with us on LinkedIn. 

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

Display Touch offers you the best in touch screen technology

Display Solutions DisplayTouch range offers engaging touch screen technology for a wide range of applications. The DisplayTouch portfolio has a number of beneficial features which enable the product to be used in various different environments from gaming to retail and even education. Some of the features include:

• 2 or 4 touch points
• 15-42 inch screens available
• Supports Windows 7 & 8
• Pinch, Rotate and Zoom capabilities
• PCAP Technology

The bezel free touch screens offer a unique set of essential qualities and boast the perfect combination between reliability and durability. Here at Display Solutions we pride ourselves on our added value service, as MD Cheng Yoe explains “We don’t just supply a customer a product; we bring our expertise and experience to every application.”  

Want to know more about the DisplayTouch range? Contact our office on 01480 411 600 today.

PCAP is Pushing Forward With New "Display Touch" Range!

Just what is PCAP?

PCAP is becoming a key player in the technology industry, being used everyday in a range of gadgets which we are all well acquainted with, and more often than not, would be lost without. But what is PCAP, you may ask?

PCAP stands for Projective Capacitive, and is a technology that we are all familiar with in everyday life. PCAP is the technology found in your smart phone, tablet or iphone, however until now it was difficult to scale up and apply to larger gadgets such as tablets and laptops.

Introducing Display Touch

The team here at Display Solutions have been working hard to develop the PCAP technology and have successfully evolved the range by spreading out to larger size products.

Our own Display Touch brand has been developed to do just this, and offers a broad variety of touch technologies which include PCAP, as well as SAW and IR. With our quick response times, durability and reliability we have been able to offer the technology usually only found on small screens in sizes up to 42”. The product benefits from pinch, zoom and swipe gestures, and the bezel-free design prevents dirt, dust and damp from getting into the sealed unit. The Display Touch range is suitable for a wide range of applications including entertainment, information and retail. With the products pleasing aesthetics the range has already attracted an influx of interest from customer-facing applications. To find out more about the Display Touch range visit our website www.displaysolutions.co.uk or contact the expert Brendan O’Reilly on 01480 411 600

 Display Touch @ The 2013 European Sign Expo 

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