"Game-changing" tech enables force-sensing touchscreens

Developed during the past three years specifically for industrial and similarly challenging applications, TouchNetix pressScreen now enables mouse-type functionality with the use of just a single finger on the touchscreen. Using newly developed capacitive measurement technology and a revolutionary new sensor structure and geometry to detect very small front lens displacements, this innovative interface allows entirely new use cases to be developed and improves touchscreen operability by overcoming the remaining limitations of capacitive touch.

The sensing technology has been designed from the ground up to be EMC tolerant and readily deployed even when fully sealed. In addition, TouchNetix pressScreen technology can be used to define multiple thresholds of pressing force or alternatively deliver analogue data based on the degree of force applied. From this data, progressive applications such as ‘press-to-zoom’ can be realised.

Recently introduced ‘force touch’ and ‘3D touch’ technology in mobile handsets has captured the interest of end users. Although the primary purpose of employing force sensing in consumer and industrial products are currently quite different, the expectations of all end users are continuing to evolve and will merge over time.

“We are delighted to be able to offer our customers an entirely new level of HMI performance with our state-of-the-art industrial grade capacitive touchscreens,” said Chris Ard, Managing Director of TouchNetix. “Our business philosophy is to constantly strive for the higher performance benchmarks and added functionality that continue to enhance the end user experience and which are so critical to product differentiation and safety.

TouchNetix pressScreen technology has already been evaluated positively by a number of industrial OEMs and will be available over a range of sizes in line with customer demand in the coming months. The technology has been demonstrated successfully between 7” and 22” diagonal and can be fully customised to meet any end user application.

TouchNetix delivers the most advanced capacitive multi-touch performance through its expertise in electronics, sensor design, materials science and manufacturing technologies. The company’s sophisticated proprietary deployment tools and performance simulation techniques simplify the design-in process to ensure that projects are completed on-time and within the specification.