TOUCH SCREEN TECHNOLOGY

A Seminar Report
Submitted to the
Department of Electronics & Communication Engineering
College Of Technology
G.B. Pant University of Agriculture & Technology
Pantnagar

Submitted by

MANISH NAIN
42112
Electronics & Communication Engineering

Date of Seminar-26/03/2015
DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRONICS & COMMUNICATION
ENGINEERING

CONTENTS

1.
Introduction:.......3
2. History:.......4
3. Why Touch Screen??:........................................................................................................5
4. Types Of Touch Screen Technology:
..6
4.1 Resistive:

..7
4.2 Capacitive:

.8
4.3 Infrared Touch Screen:
.9
5. Working Of Touch Screen Monitors:
.....10
6.
Pros
&
Cons
:

..12
7.
Uses
Of
Touch
Screen:
.13
6.
Limitations:

....15
7.Conclusion:......16
8.Refrences:....17
9.Bio Data:..18

CHAPTER-1
Introduction
A touch screen is computer display screen that is sensitive to human touch, allowing a user to
interact with the computer by touching pictures or words on the screen. Touch screen are used
with information kiosks (an interactive computer terminal available for public use, as one
with internet access or site specific information), computer based training devices, and
system designed to help individuals who have difficulty in manipulating a mouse or
keyboard. Touch screen technology can be used as an alternative user interface with
application that normally requires a mouse, such as a web browser. Some applications are
designed specifically for touch screen technology, often having larger icon and link than
typical PC application. Monitors are available with built in touch screen kit. A touch screen
kit includes a touch screen panel, a controller, and a software driver. The touch screen panels
are is a clear panel attached externally to the monitors that plug in to a serial or a universal
serial Bus (USB) port a bus Card installed inside the computer. The touch screen panel
registers touch event and passes these signal to controller. The controller then processes the
signals and sends the data to the processor. The software driver translates the touch events
into mouse events. Driver can be provided for both Window and Macintosh operating
systems. Internal touch screen kits are available but require professional installation because
the must be installed inside the monitors.

Fig 1.1 Touch Screen

CHAPTER-2
HISTORY OF TOUCH SCREEN MONITORS
Dr. Sam Hurst, founder of Elo-graphics, developed the first touch screen while he
was an instructor at the university of Kentucky in 1971.
Ten stockholders founded Elo-graphics, Inc. in March 1971, to produce Graphical data
Digitizers for use in research and industrial application, with the, principal being Dr. Sam
Hurst. He was on leave from the Oak Ridge National Laboratory to tech at the University of
Kentucky for two years, where he was faced with a need to read a huge stack of strip chart
data. It would have taken two graduate student s approximately two month to do the task. He
started to thinking of a way to read the and during the process, the Elo-graph (Electronic
graphics) coordinate measuring system and Elo-graphics the company were born. The
University Kentucky research foundation applied for and was granted a patent on the Elograph. The foundation granted an exclusive license to Elo-graphics.
The touch screen is one of the easiest to use and most intuitive of all PC interface of
choices fro a wide variety of applications. A touch interface to allows users to navigate a
computer system by touching icon or links on the screen.

The touch screen can be operated by two ways:

.1.Finger-Operated:

2.Stylus operated:

Fig 4.1 Finger Operated

Fig 4.2 Stylus Operated

CHAPTER-3
WHY TOUCH SCREEN
User interface PCs are quickly becoming the control device of choices for the plant floor,
machine control and any application where the user interface is important. This change has
not been without its difficulties. One challenge industrial PC manufacturers have faced is
simplifying the human machine interface while maintaining accuracy of input. Industrial
grade touches Screen system have quickly become the input device of choice for several
reasons. Touch systems generally have no additional hardware to mount and protect, such as
a mouse or keyboard. A flat panel display can also be sealed by the factory to prevent damage
from dust and water. The ultra thin nature of a touch screen on a LCD saves critical space,
which is a vital for most application
Design Flexibility: Advanced design allows flat and spherical design.
Touch screen are very intuitive; it is natural for people to respond to their environment by
touching. Touch screen are usually manipulated with ease and require minimal
instrumentation training for a user. Best of all, touch screens draw an operator into the
application, improving accuracy attention span and speed of response. Although the touch
screen system for the rigors of everyday life, for rugged environments and the best solution
for your application.

Touch screen Characteristics:

1.

Speed: high

2.

Accuracy: low (finger), high (pen)

3.

Speed control: yes

4.

Continuous movement: yes

5.

Directness: direction, distance, speed

6.

Fatigue: high

7.

Footprint: no

8.

Best uses: point, select

CHAPTER-4
Types of Touch Screen Technologies
1. Resistive Touch Screen
2. Capacitive Touch Screen
3. Surface Acoustic Wave Touch Screen
4. Infrared Touch Screen

1.Resistive
A resistive touch screen panel is composed of several layers, the most important of which are
two thin, metallic, electrically conductive layers separated by a narrow gap. When an object,
such as a finger, presses down on a point on the panel's outer surface the two metallic layers

become connected at that point: the panel then behaves as a pair of voltage dividers with
connected outputs. This causes a change in the electrical current which is registered as a
touch event and sent to the controller for processing.

fig 5.1 Resistive Touch Screen

Resistive touch screens are used in more applications than any other touch technology for
example, PDAs, point-of-sale, industrial, medical, and office automation, as well as consumer
electronics.

All variations of resistive touch screens have some things in common:

Fig 5.1.1 Layers In Resistive Touch Screen

They are all constructed similarly in layers-a back layer such as glass with a uniform resistive
coating plus a polyester coversheet, with the layers separated by tiny insulating dots. When
the screen is touched, it pushes the conductive coating on the coversheet against the coating
on the glass, making electrical contact. The voltages produced are the analog representation
of the position touched. An electronic controller converts these voltages into digital X and Y

coordinates which are then transmitted to the host computer. Because resistive touch screens
are force activated, all kinds of touch input devices can activate the screen, including fingers,
fingernails, styluses, gloved hands, and credit cards. All have similar optical properties,
resistance to chemicals and abuse. Both the touch screen and its electronics are simple to
integrate into imbedded systems, thereby providing one of the most practical and costeffective touch screen solutions.

2.Capacitive:
A capacitive touch-screen panel is a sensor typically made of glass coated with a material
such as indium tin oxide (ITO). The sensor therefore exhibits a precisely controlled field of
stored electrons in both the horizontal and vertical axes - it achieves capacitance. The human
body is also an electrical device which has stored electrons and therefore also exhibits
capacitance. Capacitive sensors work based on proximity, and do not have to be directly
touched to be triggered. It is a durable technology that is used in a wide range of applications
including point-of-sale systems, industrial controls, and public information kiosks. It has a
higher clarity than Resistive technology, but it only responds to finger contact and will not
work with a gloved hand or pen stylus. Capacitive touch screens can also support Multitouch. Examples include Apple Inc.s iPhone and iPod touch, and HTCs G1 & HTC Magic.
Two types are available: Capacitive technology & Pen-touch Capacitive

Fig 5.2 Capacitive Touch Screen

3.Infrared touch screen:

Conventional optical-touch systems use an array of infrared (IR) light-emitting diodes
(LEDs) on two adjacent bezel edges of a display, with photo sensors placed on the two
opposite bezel edges to analyze the system and determine a touch event.
The LED and photo sensor pairs create a grid of light beams across the display. An object
(such as a finger or pen) that touches the screen interrupts the light beams, causing a
measured decrease in light at the corresponding photo sensors.
The measured photo sensor outputs can be used to locate a touch-point coordinate.
Widespread adoption of infrared touch screens has been hampered by two factors: the
relatively high cost of the technology compared to competing touch technologies and the
issue of performance in bright ambient light.
Another feature of infrared touch which has been long desired is the digital nature of the
sensor output when compared to many other touch systems that rely on analog-signal
processing to determine a touch position. Infrared touch is capable of implementing multitouch, something most other touch technologies cannot easily achieve.

Fig 5.5 Infrared Touch Screen

Infrared touch screen monitors are based on light-beam interruption technology. A frame
surrounds the displays surface. The frame has light sources, or light-emitting diodes

(LEDs),on one side, and light detectors on the opposite side. This design creates an optical
grid across the screen. When any object touches the screen, the invisible light beam is
interrupted, causing a drop in the signal received by the photo sensors. One concern with this
technology is that it might respond to a very light touch, even that of an insect crossing the
monitor, making unwanted system adjustments. This is the only type of touch technology that
are available for large displays such as 42-inch Plasma screens. It is a durable technology that
offers

high

image

clarity.

CHAPTER-5
WORKING OF TOUCH SCREEN MONITORS:
A basic touch screen has three main components: a touch sensor, a controller, and a software
driver. The touch screen is an input device, so it needs to be combined with a display and a
PC or other device to make a complete touch input system.

fig 6.1 Components Of Touch Screen

1. Touch Sensor :
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A touch screen sensor is a clear glass panel with a touch responsive surface. The touch
sensor/panel is placed over a display screen so that the responsive area of the panel covers
the viewable area of the video screen. There are several different touch sensor technologies
on the market today, each using a different method to detect touch input. The sensor
generally has an electrical current or signal going through it and touching the screen causes a
voltage or signal change. This voltage change is used to determine the location of the touch
to the screen.
2. Controller :
The controller is a small PC card that connects between the touch sensor and the PC. It takes
information from the touch sensor and translates it into information that PC can understand.
The controller is usually installed inside the monitor for integrated monitors or it is housed in
a plastic case for external touch add-ons/overlays. The controller determines what type of
interface/connection you will need on the PC. Integrated touch monitors will have an extra
cable connection on the back for the touch screen. Controllers are available that can connect
to a Serial/COM port (PC) or to a USB port (PC or Macintosh). Specialized controllers are
also available that work with DVD players and other devices.

3. Software Driver :
The driver is a software update for the PC system that allows the touch screen and computer
to work together. It tells the computer's operating system how to interpret the touch event
information that is sent from the controller. Most touch screen drivers today are a mouseemulation type driver. This makes touching the screen the same as clicking your mouse at the
same location on the screen. This allows the touch screen to work with existing software and
allows new applications to be developed without the need for touch screen specific
programming. Some equipment such as thin client terminals, DVD players, and specialized
computer systems either do not use software drivers or they have their own built-in touch
screen driver.
Dragging is generally not well suited to finger-operated touch screens, Here, pointing is the
preferred interaction. However, this is different for stylus-operated touch screens. Here
gestures and handwriting offer promising possibilities for making interaction with
computers easier and more intuitive. But here, too is the limitation of strictly sequential input.

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There are also no means to constrain drag operations to, e.g. straight lines, like with mousebased interfaces. This makes touching the screen the same as clicking your mouse at the same
location on the screen. This allows the touch screen to work with existing software and
allows new applications to be developed without the need for touch screen specific
programming.

CHAPTER-6
Pros and Cons of Touch screens:
The following overview lists advantages and disadvantages of touch screens and summarizes
their characteristics.
Touch screen Pros:
Direct : Direct pointing to objects, direct relationship between hand and cursor movement
(distance, speed and direction), because the hand is moving on the same surface that the
cursor is moving, manipulating objects on the screen is similar to manipulating them in the
manual world
Fast (but less precise without pen)
Finger is usable, any pen is usable (usually no cable needed).
No keyboard necessary for applications that need menu selections only -> saves desk space

12

Touch screen Cons:

.Dirt: The screen gets Low precision (finger): Imprecise positioning, possible problems with
eye parallaxis (with pen, too), the finger may be too large for accurate pointing with small
objects -> a pen is more accurate.
Hand movements (if used with keyboard): Requires that users move the hand away from
the keyboard; a stylus requires also hand movements to take up the pen.
Fatigue: Straining the arm muscles under heavy use (especially if the screen is placed
vertically).
Sitting/Standing position: The user has to sit/stand close to the screen
Screen coverage: The user's hand, the finger or the pen may obscure parts of the screen.

CHAPTER-7
Uses for Touch screens:
Best Suited to Applications Where...
1.

Opportunity for training is low

2.

Frequency of use is low

3.

Accurate positioning is not required

4.

Little or no text or numerical input is required Desk space is at a premium

5.

The environment may be chemically or otherwise "aggressive"

Not Suited to Applications...

13

1.

Requiring training/trained users

2.

With high-frequency use

3.

Requiring accuracy

4.

Requiring a lot of typing

Uses of touch screen in regular life:

The touch screen is one of

the easiest PC interfaces to use, making it the interface of choice for a wide variety of
applications. Here are a few examples of how touch input systems are being use

1.Public Informattion Display

Information kiosks, tourism displays, trade show displays, and other electronic displays are
used by many people that have little or no computing experience. The user-friendly touch
screen interface can be less intimidating and easier to use than

other input devices,

especially for novice users. A touch screen can help make your information more easily
accessible by allowing users to navigate your presentation by simply touching the display
screen.

2.Retail and Restaurant Systems

Time is money, especially in a fast paced retail or restaurant environment.
Touch screen systems are easy to use so employees can get work done faster,
and training time can be reduced for new employees. And because input is
done right on the screen, valuable counter space can be saved. Touch screens can be used in
cash registers, order entry stations, seating and reservation systems, and more.

3.Customer self-services

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In today's fast pace world, waiting in line is one of the things that has yet to speed up. Selfservice touch screen terminals can be used to improve customer service at busy stores, fast
service restaurants, transportation hubs,

and more. Customers can quickly place their own

orders or check themselves in or out, saving them time, and decreasing wait times for other
customers. Automated bank teller (ATM) and airline e-ticket terminals are examples of selfservice stations that can benefit from touch screen input.

4.Control and Automation Systems

The touch screen interface is useful in systems ranging from industrial
process control to home automation. By integrating the input device with
Valuable workspace can be saved. And with a graphical interface, operators can
monitor and control complex operations in real-time by simply touching the
screen

5.Computer Based Training

Because the touch screen interface is user-friendlier than other input
devices, overall training time for computer novices, and therefore training
expense, can be reduced.

CHAPTER-8
Limitations of Touchscreens:
Size:
Fingers have a certain size, So, screen elements have to have a minimum size, to ensure that
a touch screen can be operated with few errors. Even with a stylus, which makes possible to
use smaller screen elements, there are limiting factors.
Sequential Input:

15

Input on a touch screen is inherently sequential:

One finger is used for clicking. This slows input down compared to keyboard input where
several fingers can be used virtually in parallel.
Strain:
Keying in many numbers or letters by pointing with the finger is also very straining and
tiring. Therefore, touch screens make no sense in workplaces, where much text or number
input is required.

Feedback:
On touch screens, there is no analogue to mouse-move events. Mouse users can move the
mouse pointer over screen elements, get feedback about the selected element (e.g. by
highlighting), and may confirm the selection by clicking the mouse button. Touch screen
users directly point on a screen element. If they are lucky, they can withdraw their finger if
they touched the wrong screen element. On other touch screens, the touch immediately
initiates an action - there is no opportunity to cancel the action.

CHAPTER-9
CONCLUSION

Touch systems represent a rapidly growing subset of the display market. The majority of
touch systems include touch sensors relying on vacuum-deposited coatings, so touch coatings
present opportunity for suppliers of vacuum coatings and coating equipments.
Touch sensor manufactures currently require thin films in the areas of transparent conductors,

16

optical interference coating and mechanical protective coatings. Touch sensors technical
requirements dovetail well with those of the flat panel and display filter markets. The reality
should provide value added opportunities to operations participating in these areas

A touchscreen is an easy to use input device that allows users to control PC software and
DVD video by touching the display screen. A touch system consists of a touch Sensor that
receives the touch input, a Controller, and a Driver. The most commonly used touch
technologies are the Capacitive & Resistive systems. The other technologies used in this field
are Infrared technology, Near Field Imaging & SAW (surface acoustic wave technology).
These technologies are latest in this field but are very much expensive.

CHAPTER-10
References
1.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Touchscreen

2.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resistive_touchscreen

3.

http://www.authorstream.com/Presentation/balamadhu2007-366056-touchscreen-technology-bala-science-ppt-powerpoint/

4.

http://www.authorstream.com/Presentation/aSGuest21619-209927touchscreen-technologies-enter-tags-education-ppt-powerpoint/

17

5.

http://www.seminarprojects.com/Thread-touch-screen-technology-report-andppt

6.

http://docs.google.com/viewer?
a=v&q=cache:1mcxvteOcCYJ:courses.ee.nd.edu/87022/documents/Touch
%2520screen
%2520sensor.ppt+ppts+on+touch+screen+technology&hl=en&gl=in&pid=bl&s
rcid=ADGEEShmbSa_iRtYmz9sMm2GJCDDtAR4-64H6AQ4vIfAUHE9jAvEUn9AIwt0Rgbc5O6Ag9kTxA4651BXemkDSM9Tha49WW4VV
x5TUvCTdaqqOOOH929xCkzMrk0wNYfrnPmiFkdy98&sig=AHIEtbQqB3LBjH
_wCaG9eMrqaP1X-YUjFQ

BIODATA
1. Name : Manish Nain

2. ID No. : 42112

3. Fathers Name : Mr. Satender Nain

4. Mothers Name : Mrs. Bimlesh Devi

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5. Educational Qualifications:
Examination
X
XII
B.Tech

School/Board

Year
of passing
2008
2010
2015

C.B.S.E.
C.B.S.E.
G.B.P.U.A&T

Marks

Division

(%)
84.00
78.60
69.46 (up to

(Position)
First
First
First

VII Semester)

6. Address for correspondence : H.N.-186, S-5, Greater Green Park, Bareilly

Uttar Pradesh.

7. Email: nain4aryan@gmail.com

8. Mobile No. : +91-8791663681

19