How New Touch Screen Technology Is Stimulating Innovation

Featured article by Andre Smith, Internet Marketing and E-Commerce specialist

Ever since touch screen technology emerged in in the 1970s, it has been linked to a wide array of breakthroughs in industries as diverse as logistics, computing, entertainment, and the military. As touch screens have become more sophisticated, they have opened up new possibilities for developers to create products that would not have been imaginable without high quality, responsive touchscreens. Just as the smartphone revolution was made possible by the projected capacitive (PCAP) touch screen, new developments in resistive screen technology are now fuelling new applications for kiosks, industrial control panels, and mobile computing devices.

One of the most important areas for new touch screen development is in extremely durable, ruggedized resistive screens. The PCAP screens found in most smartphones, tablets, sales kiosks, and entertainment applications are perfectly designed for excellent, multi-touch functionality and a user-friendly experience, and while most providers build their interfaces using sturdy, durable glass that can withstand high thresholds of strain and pressure before cracking, these screens are simply not designed for certain extreme environments.This is why the latest developments in touch screen technology are geared toward the development of screens that can maintain optimal performance even in extreme conditions.

One of the greatest recent success stories on this front has been the ULTRA Resistive touch screen. Manufactured by Ontario’s A D Metro, the ULTRA Resistive screen builds on standard resistive touch screen technology, but incorporates aborosilicate glass surface that is far more durable than the traditional polyethylene surfaces most resistive screens use. The result is the toughest, most resilient, and most affordable touch screen on the market, with a surface that is waterproof, scratch and vandal resistant, and impervious to most chemicals. It can be used with gloves or a stylus, and its performance is not affected by oil, water, dust, grease, food, or dirt, which makes it ideal for uses in industrial contexts where control panels and all-in-one PCs often come into contact with contaminants.

The ULTRA Resistive screen is also capable of performing in extreme temperatures, which is why it is a popular choice for outdoor kiosks that face a variety of different climate conditions, as well as the regular wear and tear of any piece of frequently used outdoor equipment.

It has long been observed that technological innovation is driven by the interplay between the actual and the possible. As new technological developments change the actual, they create new possibilities, thus fuelling further developments. Touch screens are quickly becoming the standard way in which we interact with electronics, be that in our personal devices, in the workplace, or when shopping. Because touch screen technology exists at the intersection between so many different technologies and types of software, as touch screens improve, they open to door to new innovations elsewhere.

With extremely durable touch screens like the ULTRA Resistive now available to developers who are working to provide integrated technological solutions to a host of other problems, new innovations are almost certainly right around the corner.

Andre Smith is an Internet, Marketing and E-Commerce specialist with several years of experience in the industry. He has watched as the world of online business has grown and adapted to new technologies, and he has made it his mission to help keep businesses informed and up to date.