: TOPIC: RECENT TRENDS IN TECHNOLOGY

Paper on TOUCH SCREEN TECHNOLOGY Touch the Future

CONTENTS
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TITLES Abstract Introduction History Working Types of technologies used Capacitive Resistive Surface acoustic wave (SAW) Infrared

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Applications Advantages and disadvantages Recently featured devices i-phone i-pad

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Conclusion References

1. ABSTRACT
Technological development is always carried out to meet demand and need. Recent technological developments, including the printing press, the telephone, and the Internet, have lessened physical barriers to communication and allowed humans to interact freely on a global scale. One of such technologies which have been the latest trend is the Touch screen technology. The ability to interact physically with what is shown on a display (a form of "direct manipulation") typically indicates the presence of a touchscreen. The touchscreen has two main attributes. First, it enables one to interact with what is displayed directly on the screen, where it is displayed, rather than indirectly with a mouse or touchpad. Secondly, it lets one do so without requiring any intermediate device. They also play a prominent role in the design of digital appliances such as the personal digital assistant (PDA), satellite navigation devices, mobile phones, and video games. Touchscreen technology is the most advanced amongst the display technologies and has made computers TOUCHY i.e skin to screen. This paper discuss about the development, working and future applications of this technology.

2. INTRODUCTION
A touchscreen is an easy to use input device that allows users to control PC software and DVD video by touching the display screen. The uses of touch systems as Graphical User Interface (GUI) devices for computers continue to grow popularity. Touch systems are used for many applications such as ATMs, point-ofsale systems, industrial controls, casinos & public kiosks etc. Touch system is basically an alternative for a mouse or keyboard. Touch screen technology has the potential to replace most functions of the mouse and keyboard. The touchscreen interface is being used in a wide variety of applications to improve humancomputer interaction. As the technology advances, people may be able to operate computers without mice and keyboards.

3. HISTORY
Touchscreens emerged from academic and corporate research labs in the second half of the 1960s. The HP-150 from 1983 was probably the world's earliest commercial touchscreen computer. It doesn't actually have a touchscreen in the strict sense, but a 9" Sony CRT surrounded by infrared transmitters and receivers which detect the position of any nontransparent object on the screen. Until the early 1980s, most consumer touchscreens could only sense one point of contact at a time, and few have had the capability to sense how hard one is touching. This is starting to change with the commercialisation of multi-touch technology. The popularity of smart phones, PDAs, portable game consoles and many types of information appliances is driving the demand for, and the acceptance of, touchscreens.

4. WORKING
A basic touchscreen has three main components: a touch sensor, a controller, and a software driver. The touchscreen is an input device, so it needs to be combined with a display and a PC or other device to make a complete touch input system. Touch Sensor A touch screen sensor is a clear glass panel with a touch responsive surface. The touch sensor/panel is placed over a display screen so that the responsive area of the panel covers the viewable area of the video screen. There are several different touch sensor technologies on the market today, each using a different method to detect touch input. The sensor generally has an electrical current or signal going through it and touching the screen causes a voltage or signal change. This voltage change is used to determine the location of the touch to the screen.
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Controller The controller is a small PC card that connects between the touch sensor and the PC. It takes information from the touch sensor and translates it into information that PC can understand. The controller is usually installed inside the monitor for integrated monitors or it is housed in a plastic case for external touch add-ons/overlays. The controller determines what type of interface/connection you will need on the PC. Integrated touch monitors will have an extra cable connection on the back for the touchscreen. Controllers are available that can connect to a Serial/COM port (PC) or to a USB port (PC or Macintosh). Specialized controllers are also available that work with DVD players and other devices. Software Driver The driver is a software update for the PC system that allows the touchscreen and computer to work together. It tells the computer's operating system how to interpret the touch event information that is sent from the controller. Most touch screen drivers today are a mouseemulation type driver. This makes touching the screen the same as clicking your mouse at the same location on the screen. This allows the touchscreen to work with existing software and allows new applications to be developed without the need for touchscreen specific programming. Some equipment such as thin client terminals, DVD players, and specialized computer systems either do not use software drivers or they have their own built-in touch screen driver.

5. TECHNOLOGY USED
The touch panels themselves are based around four basic screen technologies: Resistive, Capacitive, Infrared (IR), and Surface Acoustical Wave (SAW). Each of those designs has distinct advantages and disadvantages. Capacitive Touchscreens A capacitive touch screen consists of a glass panel with a capacitive (charge storing) material coating its surface. Circuits located corners of the screen measure the capacitance of a person touching the overlay. Frequency changes are measured to determine the X and Y coordinates of the touch event. Capacitive type touch screens are very durable, and have a high clarity. They are used in a wide range of applications, from restaurant and POS use to industrial controls and information kiosks
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Advantages

Disadvantages

High touch resolution High image clarity Not affected by grease, moisture. dirt,

Must be touched by finger, will not work with any non-conductive input

Resistive Touchscreens 4-Wire Resistive touch technology consists of a glass or acrylic panel that is coated with electrically conductive and resistive layers. The thin layers are separated by invisible separator dots. When operating, an electrical current moves through the screen. When pressure is applied to the screen the layers are pressed together, causing a change in the electrical current and a touch event to be registered. 4-Wire Resistive type touch screens are generally the most affordable. Although clarity is less than with other touch screen types, resistive screens are very durable and can be used in a variety of environments. This type of screen is recommended for individual, home, school, or office use, or less demanding point-of-sale systems, restaurant systems, etc.

Surface Acoustic Wave Touchscreens Advantages

Disadvantages

High touch resolution Pressure sensitive, works with any stylus Not affected by dirt, dust, water, or light Affordable touchscreen technology

75 % clarity Resistive layers can be damaged by a sharp object Less durable then 5-Wire Resistive technology

Surface Acoustic Wave technology is one of the most advanced touch screen types.
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It is based on sending acoustic waves across a clear glass panel with a series of transducers and reflectors. When a finger touches the screen, the waves are absorbed, causing a touch event to be detected at that point. Because the panel is all glass there are no layers that can be worn, giving this technology the highest durability factor and also the highest clarity. This technology is recommended for public information kiosks, computer based training, or other high traffic indoor environments.

Advantages

Disadvantages

High touch resolution Highest image clarity All glass panel, no coatings or layers that can wear out or damage

Must be touched by finger, gloved hand, or soft-tip stylus. Something hard like a pen won't work Not completely sealable, can be affected by large amounts of dirt, dust, and / or water in the environment.

6. APPLICATIONS
Touchscreen being one of the easiest interfaces has variety of applications. Some of them are listed below:a. Customer Self-Service Automated bank teller (ATM) and airline e-ticket terminals are examples of self-service stations that can benefit from touchscreen input. b. Computer Based Training Because the touch screen interface is more user-friendly than other input devices, it can also help to make learning more fun and interactive, which can lead to a more beneficial training experience for both students and educators.

C.Public Information Displays A touchscreen can help make your information more easily accessible by allowing users to navigate your presentation by simply touching the display screen hence it is widely used in Information kiosks, tourism displays, trade show displays, and other electronic displays. d. Retail and Restaurant Systems Touchscreen systems are easy to use so employees can get work done faster, and training time can be reduced for new employees. And because input is done right on the screen,
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valuable counter space can be saved. Touchscreens can be used in cash registers, order entry stations, seating and reservation systems etc. e. Assistive Technology The touch screen interface can be beneficial to those that have difficulty using other input devices such as a mouse or keyboard. When used in conjunction with software such as onscreen keyboards, or other assistive technology, they can help make computing resources more available to people that have difficulty using computers.

7. ADVANTAGES OF TOUCH SCREEN DEVICES 1] Big screen is ideal for web browsing, picture and movies 2] Touchscreen gadgets usually have simple user interfaces, which are more intuitive (iPhone once again is a good example) 3] Touchscreen devices have fewer buttons that might break after a few months/years of operation 4] Touching a visual display of choices requires little thinking and is a form of direct manipulation that is easy to learn. 5] Touch screens are the fastest pointing devices. 6] Touch screens have easier hand eye coordination than mice or keyboards. 7] No extra work space is required as with other pointing devices. 8] Touch screens are durable in public access and in high volume usage.

DISADVANTAGES OF TOUCH SCREEN DEVICES 1] Screen has to be really big not to miss things when pressing them with your finger: I only like HTC Touch HD, screen size wise, and big screen means increased size of the device Big screen leads to low battery life 2] Touchscreen means screen cant be read too well in direct sunlight as it applies an additional not 100% transparent 3] Touchscreen devices usually has no additional keys (see the iPhone) and this means when an app crashes, without crashing the OS, you cant get to the main menu as the whole screen becomes unresponsive 4] Most user interfaces are not optimized for thumb operation, so a stylus in necessary, and this means using two hands 5] Screens get very dirty 6] These devices require massive computing power which leads to slow devices and low battery life

8. RECENTLY FEATURED TOUCH SCREEN DEVICES

The Apple iPhone is different -- many of the elements of its multi-touch user interface require you to touch multiple points on the screen simultaneously. For example, you can zoom in to Web pages or pictures by placing your thumb and finger on the screen and spreading them apart. To zoom back out, you can pinch your thumb and finger together. The iPhone's touch screen is able to respond to both touch points and their movements simultaneously.

B.

i-pad

Apple has launched a new tablet computer - the iPad - that could pioneer a new style of the digital age. The iPad defines a new category of digital devices with its multi-touch screen feature. IPad creates and defines an entirely new category of devices that will connect users with their apps and content in a much more intimate, intuitive and fun way than ever before. This is the best example of touch screen application.

9. CONCLUSION
Touch systems represent a rapidly growing subset of the display market. Display manufacturers and chip manufacturers worldwide have acknowledged the trend toward acceptance of touchscreens as a highly desirable user interface component and have begun to integrate touchscreen functionality into the fundamental design of their products.

10. REFERENCES
1] www.wikipedia.com 2] www.touchscreens.com 3] www.eitouch.com 4] www.engadget.com

THANK YOU

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