Touchscreen monitors

Touchscreen technologies

Different technologies and application areas are available

• Resistive touchscreen technology
  The resistive technology is versatile and represents the most attractive solution in terms of price
  • Advantages
    • Attractive price
    • operable with any media (finger, pen, gloves etc.)
  • Disadvantages
    • reduced optical transparency
    • Polyester surface can be damaged
    • Gesture control only possible to a very limited extent
• Resistive touchscreen technology with glass surface
  Unlike conventional resistive touchscreens with polyester surfaces, the sensor of the touchscreen is protected by a robust glass surface and a laminated glass back, which significantly increases the service life of the sensor
  • Advantages
    • tempered glass surface
    • scratch resistant and chemical resistance
    • Longer service life
    • Larger operating temperature range
  • Disadvantages
    • Operation on pressure
    • Gesture control only possible to a very limited extent
• Capacitive touchscreen technology
  Capacitive touchscreens are glass substrates coated with transparent metal oxide. A voltage applied to the corners of the coating creates a precise, uniform electric field. One touches the surface of the sensor and the controller determines the position of the finger by measuring the resulting discharge current
  • Advantages
    • Extremely durable
    • Very accurate
    • Good optical transparency
    • Good resolution
  • Disadvantages
    • Operation possible only with
      • bare fingers
      • conductive input pens or special gloves
    • No operation possible with
      • Prosthetic hands or normal gloves
    • Slight reduction in transparency due to metal coating
    • More susceptible than other technologies to external discharge currents
• Surface Acoustic Wave touchscreen technology (SAW)
  Here signal transmitters are used, mounted on the side surfaces of the glass substrate, which emit ultrasonic waves from two sides (horizontal and vertical). A finger or other soft medium absorbs some of the acoustic energy, and the controller measures the change and uses it to calculate the position of the finger
  • Advantages
    • best optical transparency
    • Good accuracy
    • Highly durable glass surface
    • Operation through bare fingers or even gloves
  • Disadvantages
    • Signals are influenced by water droplets on the surface
• Infrared touch screen technology
  The principle is based on infrared LEDs integrated in the frame of the pane and opposing photo transistors. When the target is touched, the optical connection is interrupted and evaluated by the controller
  • Advantages
    • best optical transparency
    • Highly durable glass surface
    • operable with any media
    • available in very large inch units
    • Gesture operation possible with multi touch variants
  • Disadvantages
    • Impairment by external media (ice, coarse dirt and also by insects).
• Projected capacitive touchscreen technology (PCT / PCAP)
  This design uses two levels with a conductive pattern. The levels are mounted isolated from each other. If a finger is at the intersection of two strips, the capacitance of the capacitor changes. The main advantage of this system is that the sensor can be mounted on the back of the cover glass. This is how the operation takes place on the practically wear-free glass surface
  • Advantages
    • Operation also possible through a front-mounted glass
    • Highly durable glass surface
    • Safe in the outdoor area by means of glass front
  • Disadvantages
    • Mostly visible wires
    • Operation possible only with
      • bare fingers
      • conductive input pins
    • No operation possible with
      • Prosthetic hands or gloves
• Dispersive signal technology Touch screen technology (DST)
  The process is based on the bending waves triggered by the screen touch. When the screen is touched, vibrations are generated which spread in all directions. Detectors are attached to the four corners of the screen, which detect and evaluate the vibration waves
  • Advantages
    • Non-critical for surface contamination
    • Touch with bare fingers, gloves or stylus pen
    • High light transmission
    • Frameless front possible
  • Disadvantages
    • Gesture recognition limited since single touch

Which technology you choose depends on your personal preferences. However, we do not recommend the following technologies

• Resistive touchscreen technology
  • Long-term stability leaves much to be desired and the sensor layer reduces optical transparency
• Infrared touch screen technology
  • The LED’s and sensors need to be cleaned periodically (dust) and the touchscreen reacts to any insect that lands on the surface