TOUCH

-The Screen-

Daniel Galvn Brugal ENGL 202C 12/03/2012

Audience and Scope

The purpose of this guide is to provide a brief description of the various touch screen technologies commonly found on smart phones and ATMs to the general consumer. With the advent of touch screen technology, many users are unaware that there are a multitude of touch screen technologies each with its advantages and disadvantages. With the help of this guide, the reader will be able to understand the inner workings of the most popular touch screen technologies. A guide such as these one can be found on forefront electronic magazines such as PC Magazine.

Figure 1: After money transactions, touch screen are mainly use to play video games

Introduction
A touchscreen is any electronic display screen capable of recognizing input by touch in the display area either by hand or by a pen-shaped instrument called a stylus. Touch screens where first developed in the 1970s, but did not gain consumer attention until the iPhone was released in 2007. Since then, numerous electronic devices have incorporated the use of touch screens as one of their main features. Figure 2 shows a table with a touch screen panel use for entertainment use.

Figure 2 A tables with a touch screen panel on top

Types of Touch Screens

Currently the two most popular touch screen technologies are Resistive and Capacitive touch screens. Although there are other types of touch screens, such as Sound Acoustic Wave, they are not as popular as those previously mentioned. All touch screens share the same basic components:

Touch Sensor: touch responsive panel that captures the coordinates of touch. Touch
screens differ in the mechanism to detect and interpret touch.

Controller: converts the physical responses into signals the computer can understand Device Software: interprets the signals from the controller to execute a command

All touch screens have the same purpose, convert touch into commands the device can process. Figure 3 shows how the basic components of a device with a touch screen interact using the iPhone, a capacitive touch screen device, as an example.

Figure 3 A diagram of the main steps to execute an action from touch to display

Since the different touch screens technologies are incompatible with each other, manufacturers have to consider the advantages and disadvantages of each technology while designing a product.

Resistive Resistive touch screens detect touch through the application of pressure. Resistive touch screens take its name from resistors, a passive (only consumes energy) electrical component that uses electrical resistance to carry out a function. First developed in 1977, Resistive touch screen are the most popular type of touch screen use today. Figure 4 shoes the basic components of a touch screen. Resistive touch screens are mainly composed of two, plastic or glass layers coated with a conductive material held apart separator dots, microdots, evenly distributed across the screen. A scratch resistant layer is placed on top of the setup. When pressure is applied, the layers make electrical contact changing the current or voltage at that exact same spot. The signal is sent to the controller to determine the x-y coordinates.

Figure 4

An illustration of the basic components of a Resistive touch screen

All Resistive touch screens detect touch by pressure, but what electric properties changes when pressure is applied is different from one device to another. Most commonly, there is a conductive layer, electric current can easily pass through, and a resistive layer, electric current is hindered. When in contact, the resistances at that spot change modifying the current in the conductive layer. Other devices apply different voltages to the front and back layers. When in contact, the voltage difference creates a current at that location. In some devices, a current runs through the layer. Contact causes a change in the electric field at that point.

Table 1 tabulates the advantages and disadvantages of using a resistive touch screen. Resistive touch screens are best known for their low cost and resistance. On the downside it does not offer a high resolution as other touch screen technologies.

Resistive
Cost Input Sensitivity Resolution Resistance Maintenance Special Feature Low Varied Decent Poor Great Not much ----More economic than capacitive touch screens. The user can use a stylus or any pinpoint object like a pencil, pen, etc. Avoids miss-clicks since the user must press the screen. Can be easily scratched Poorest resolution of touch screen technologies. Only 75% transparent. Can work on all climatic conditions. Appropriate for harsh working environments. Conductive layers can be in constant contact if too much pressure is applied Long lasting, easy to repair and replace

Table 1 Advantages and disadvantages of Resistive touch screen

Capacitive A Capacitive touch screen does not rely on pressure to work. Contrary to Resistive touch screens, Capacitive touch screens function only on a change in the electric field. But like Resistive touch screens, it takes its name from an electric component. Capacitors are components that can store energy in the form electric charge when a voltage is applied across it. The amount of energy a single capacitor can store is called capitance. Figure 5 shows what happens when a Capacitive touch screen registers input.

Figure 5 Capacitive touch screen responding to a disturbance in the electric field

Capacitive touch screens are made of conductive glass coated with a material that displays capitance. While the device is on, a small voltage is applied to the screen creating a uniform electric field throughout surface. Along with the electric field, an electric current (very small) is also present. The human body is a conductor, touching the surface attracts current uniformly from the device creating a distortion the electric field at that precise location as seen in figure 6. The change in the electric field is measured as a change in the stored charge in the glass. Some of the charge is transferred to the user.

Figure 6 the activated Capacitive touch screen reacts to touch

Table 2 displays the main characteristics of Capacitive touch screens. They are very sensitive to touch and display a high resolution. They are resistant to scratches and cuts, but need to be clean regularly as dust kills them. One disadvantages is that, unless using specialized stylus, input by hand is the only method to interact with the screen.

Capacitive
Cost Input Sensitivity Resolution Resistance Maintenance Special Feature High Restricted Great Pristine Good Careful -----Most expensive of the technologies Conductive materials only work. Specialized stylus is required Very sensible to human or animal skin. Resistant to scratch and similar hazards. 90% transparency. Provides top-notch resolution only surpassed by emerging technologies Works well in most climatic conditions. (0 25 C with at least 5% humidity). Fingerprints and dust can cause problems, Although resistant to sparks Multi-touch capabilities

Table 2 The advantages and disadvantages of Capacitive touch screens

Conclusion
Touch screen technology is present in many of the electronic devices we use daily such as smart phones, electronic agendas, computers, ATM, and more. With the development of technology in the last 40 years, a diverse group of touch screen technologies compete to gain the approval of manufacturers. The two most popular touch screen technologies today are Resistive and Capacitive. Resistive touch screens use pressure to detect input. They are inexpensive, easy to make and work on most conditions. However they are not very clear. Capacitive touch screens use the conductivity of the human body to detect touch. They have a high resolution, very responsive to touch, but is expensive and relies on the human body for input. Each type has their strengths and weaknesses. The interaction with the user between Resistive and Capacitive type is overall the same, in some cases indistinguishable, and choosing a type to design a devicee, mainly cellphones, is really a matter of preference.

References
Information http://comoo.wordpress.com/2011/02/16/touchscreen-capacitiva-vs-resistiva-capacitive-vsresistive/ http://www.telecomcircle.com/2010/03/touchscreen/ http://biologyblockd.blogspot.com/2011/05/touchscreen.html http://inventors.about.com/od/tstartinventions/a/Touch-Screen.htm http://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia_term/0,2542,t=touch+screen&i=53016,00.a sp http://computer.howstuffworks.com/question716.htm http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/TouchTopics/Home/Terminology/WhatIs Multitouch/ Images FIGURE 1: http://gamingallthetime.com/?p=5971 FIGURE 2: http://www.flickr.com/photos/dmoren/206635140/ FIGURE 3: http://flashmobile.scottjanousek.com/2008/02/21/iphones-touch-screenexplained/ FIGURE 4:http://www.telecomcircle.com/2010/03/touchscreen/ FIGURE 5: http://www.telecomcircle.com/2010/03/touchscreen/ FIFURE 6: http://biologyblockd.blogspot.com/2011/05/touchscreen.html Nokia 5800: http://www.aplicacionesnokia5800.com/temas-coloridos-pack-1-para-nokia5800/ iPhone 4s: http://www.panoramadiario.com/finanzas/articulo/articulo/2/apple-vende-4-millones-deiphone-4s-en-los-primeros-tres-dias/categoria/14/?no_cache=1