Input Devices – Touch Screens
What is a touchscreen?
A touchscreen is an electronic visual display that also incorporates an input device
that responds to touch. This allows users to select options from a screen by simply
touching them.
There are three main types of touchscreen technology, all of which are outlined below.
Typical applications for touchscreens
• Smartphones and tablet computers, e.g. easy input of data and selection of
apps/icons
• Ticket / Information kiosks, e.g. allows limited options that can be selected
easily
Benefits of touchscreens
• Save space as both input and output are combined
• Simple and easy to use
• Works well with icons, allowing options to be selected easily
Drawbacks of touchscreens
• Difficult to complete tasks that require precision accuracy
• Difficult to use if damaged
3 common types of touch screen technologies
v Capacitive technology.
v Infrared technology.
v Resistive technology (most common method at the moment).
Capacitive touchscreens.
Capacitive touch screens are composed of a layer of glass (protective layer), a
transparent electrode (conductive) layer and a glass substrate .
Human skin is a conductor of electricity, when bare fingers (or a special stylus) touch the
screen, the electrostatic field of the conductive layer is changed.
The installed microcontroller is able to calculate where this change took place and hence
determine the coordinates of the point of touching.
There are two main types of capacitive touch screens:
ü Surface
ü projective.
1.Surface capacitive screen
WORKING
ü In this screen, sensors are placed at the corners of a screen.
ü Small voltages are also applied at the corners of the screen creating an
electric field.
ü A finger touching the screen surface will draw current from each corner
reducing the capacitance.
ü A microcontroller measures the decrease in capacitance and hence determines
the point where the finger touched the screen.
ü This system only works with a bare finger or stylus.
2. Projective capacitive screens
WORKING
v The transparent conductive layer is now in the form of an X-Y matrix
pattern.
v This creates a three dimensional (3D) electrostatic field.
v When a finger touches the screen, it disturbs the 3D electrostatic field
allowing a microcontroller to determine the coordinates of the point of
contact.
v This system works with bare fingers, stylus and thin surgical or cotton gloves.
v It also allows multi-touch facility (for example, pinching or sliding).
Advantages compared to the other two technologies
1. Better image clarity than resistive screens, especially in strong sunlight
2. Very durable screens that have high scratch resistance.
3. Projective capacitive screens allow multi-touch.
Disadvantages compared to the other two technologies
1. Surface capacitive screens only work with bare fingers or a special stylus
2. They are sensitive to electromagnetic radiation.
(Such as magnetic fields or microwaves).
Infrared touch screens
WORKING
1.Infrared touch screens use a glass screen with an array of sensors and infrared
transmitters.
2. The sensors detect the infrared radiation.
3. If any of the infrared beams are broken (for example, with a finger touching the
screen), the infrared radiation reaching the sensors is reduced.
4.The sensor readings are sent to a microcontroller that calculates where the
screen was touched.
Advantages compared to the other two technologies
1. Allows multi-touch facilities
2. Has good screen durability
3. The operability isn't affected by a scratched or cracked screen.
Disadvantages compared to the other two technologies
1. The screen can be sensitive to water or moisture
2. It is possible for accidental activation to take place if the infrared beams are
disturbed in some way.
3. Sometimes sensitive to light interference.
Resistive touch screens
Working
ü Resistive touch screens are made up of two layers of electrically
resistive material with a voltage applied across them.
ü The upper layer is made of flexible polyethylene with a resistive
coating on one side .
ü The bottom layer is made of glass also with a resistive coating on
one side.
ü These two layers are separated by air or an inert gas
ü When the top polyethylene surface is touched, the two layers make
contact.
ü Since both layers are coated in a resistive material a circuit is now
completed which results in a flow of electricity.
ü The point of contact is detected where there was a change in
voltage.
ü A microcontroller converts the voltage (created when the two
resistive layers touch) to digital data, which it then sends to the
microprocessor.
Advantages compared to the other two technologies
1. Good resistance to dust and water
2. Can be used with bare fingers, stylus and gloved hand.
Disadvantages compared to the other two technologies
1. Low touch sensitivity (sometimes have to press down harder)
2. Doesn’t support multi-touch facility
3. Poor visibility in strong sunlight
4. Vulnerable to scratches on the screen (made of polymer).
