A touch screen is basically an integration of an input device and an output device, which allow for the human to interact with various devices. The most common type of touch screen uses a resistive, capacitive or electromagnetic touch to detect and interact with a surface. This interaction takes place using the body’s natural physical movement. The most common example of a touch screen is a fingerprint sensor integrated into a keypad or display screen of a computer. Other examples include a piezo detector that senses when the user slides their finger across the screen, resistive or ionic touch screen that detects a slight touch or even ultrasound.
The human body interacts with touch screen displays in a number of different ways. The most common form of interaction occurs when the user touches the screen with their finger. When a user’s finger brushes against the surface, some amount of friction is created, which then causes some of the tiny capillaries in the finger to push onto the display or keypad. In some cases, this friction is enough to trigger the signal that the user needs to trigger the system, such as touch and fingerprint sensors, which will then tell the operating system how to recognize a finger.
An electrical charge is then released as a result of the interaction. This electrical charge is carried by the nerves down the spine and out of the finger. It is then picked up by the sensor, which then causes the electrical charge to be released into the finger. The amount of electrical charge is then detected by the processor, which then determines what action to take. The user then either acts on this information by touching the screen, or their finger is moved by another user to push a button, or perform other actions.
Touch screen technology has increased greatly over the years because of improvements in different components, which allow for better accuracy and timing. While resistive touch screen displays are generally the most popular on today’s market, others are available using capacitance, an alternative component which is not quite as common. Capacitive touch screens generally work more reliably than resistive touch screen displays and have been the technology of choice for decades. They are not quite as precise and are usually used in lower cost electronic products.
Touch screen laptop computers are the most common touch screen devices. They are much smaller than standard laptop computers and are designed to be carried around. They are also very convenient for use while traveling because they do not have all the compartments and trays needed to hold standard laptop computers. These portable laptops are typically wireless and use a Bluetooth connection to communicate with other portable devices. A typical touch screen laptop will include the computer itself, the monitor, the keyboard and the pointing device (usually a mouse). Most models will come with a touch pad or trackball.
Traditional touch screens are usually just touch sensitive and detect your finger and often rely on light pressure or a “dragging” action from your finger to produce the result. However, recent generation devices are much more precise and rely on the principle of capacitance to provide high levels of response. This means that if you only lightly tap on the screen, you will get a result, but if you drag your finger across it, a more precise response will be achieved.
Some touch screens can respond to patterns of light as well, though this is not commonly found. When finger scanning is used, some devices may use infra-red light recognition for better accuracy. The advantage of using light to recognize finger activity is that it is not affected by finger creasing and hairline bending, so users can use their fingers to perform common functions such as editing, changing font size and moving items around a screen. These devices are more expensive than those that respond to light or finger motion, but they are generally more accurate and convenient to use.
The touch screen technology that you need depends on your requirements. If your needs are very specific, consider using a touch screen that incorporates both resistive and capacitive technologies. Capacitive technology provides better tactile feedback and greater accuracy, especially when you are using a product such as a stylus or pen that has a large surface area. Capacitive touch screen technology can also be used to replace a bare finger in certain applications where a physical button is all that is necessary, allowing for more precise control of the device.