About Technology

Though there are several different types of touch screen technologies that make up the inner workings of touch screen phones, gadgets, point of sale terminals and others, there are some types of technology that are in higher demand over others.

There are approximately eight different types of touch screen technologies used in commercial devices:

• Resistive
• Surface acoustic wave
• Infrared
• Bending wave
• Active digitizer
• Optical imaging
• Surface capacitive
• Projected capacitive

Capacitive touch technology is the hot technology right now even though resistive touch technology is by far the most widely used. Resistive technology doesn’t always deliver when it comes to picking up responsiveness to fingers or other instruments used for touch technology, like a stylus pen. The price of resistive touch technology and it’s durability have made it the most popular type.

With the onset of touch screen products and new advancements in those products and their overnight popularity brought other types of technologies perhaps not overly considered before due to cost or size or for what ever reason. Capacitive touch, although more expensive is on it’s way to surpassing resistive touch is a more durable and offers a better transmittance than the resistive touch technology. As previous touch screens on phones all had resistive touch inside them, beginning in 2007, a considerable amount of cell phones were created with capacitive touch. Cell phones are not the only gizmos with capacitive touch technology.

Other Uses of Capacitive Touch

• Public Signage
• E-books
• Medical applications
• Touch screen monitors
• Touch pad keyboards

Capacitive touch has been around for a long time, but not until the Apple iphone created the dramatic demand for all things “touch” has the capacitive touch technology been given such a stage for opportunity. Now that capacitive touch is being seen as a better product over resistive touch technology, and becoming a more affordable option, we will see capacitive touch in ways never dreamt before.

It seems that touch screen technology is upon us now more than ever and is not likely to end any time soon. With the Apple iphone on everyone’s wish list in 2007 to touch screen computer screens, grocery store check outs, banks and even the postal delivery service asking you to kindly sign the touch screen. What is the latest in touch screen technology?

Touch screens have found their way into cars. The GPS system- once seemed to signify a high tech gadget in automobiles is becoming a standard. Now, computers in cars which include GPS systems offer more than just an interactive compass. Computers being built for the next year’s model cars will replace some of the current buttons we have all come accustomed to. Soon, more small screens built in as part of the dashboard or just to the right of the steering wheel won’t provide the shock factor they once used to. Starting in 2009, Volkswagen will be installing computers in all of their new cars, whether people ask for them or not. These computers will be replacing the controls for heating, air conditioning and trip computers all within the car’s own computer. With no physical keyboard necessary, a touchpad keyboard is built within the screen, allowing the driver to touch the screen and control functions by touch. Of course there are several disclaimers addressing the owner and operator of the vehicle to only use the buttons while not driving, bringing up issues of accidents- drivers playing around with controls while they are suppose to be driving.

Other smart function of these little computers is how they are connected. If it looks like several cars with computers inside them are converging in one area over another, the computer may suggest going a different direction in order to avoid traffic congestion.

Who knows where we will find touch screen technology next. We went from having a computer mouse with touch pad technology similar to using a touch screen to laptops with their own touch pad and now touch screens on computers and other screens that let us move things around using strictly our fingertips. Cars are more technical then they have ever been and it takes a lot more skill to be an auto mechanic then it used to. Even though computers on our dashboards may seem like the cool new feature now-perhaps some day we will wonder how we ever drove a car without them.