Large form factor curved touch sensor from Zytronic delivers 10-point multi-touch functionality

The radius of the curve can be specified by the customer and the touchscreen can be made with a convex or concave configuration. It is envisaged that the convex designs will be attractive to designers of gaming equipment, where an interactive ‘spinning reel’ movement can be simulated. The concave versions of the technology will facilitate the merging together of several angled screens to create a single, seamless user interface. In both cases, the added dimension creates an organic feel, and allows industrial designers to really push the boundaries of what is possible with touch interactivity, no matter the size or environment for deployment. This could have huge potential in the development of advanced public information systems, digital signage systems and next generation retail automation machines, such as customer facing point-of-sales (PoS) units.

A live demonstration of a 22-inch, convex version of the curved touchscreen solution will be on the Zytronic stand (A3.453) at Electronica (Munich, 13th – 16th November) along with a variety of other examples of the company’s capabilities, including its latest 10-point multi-touch PCT technology – bringing true multi-touch performance to public use environments.

“This is the first time that ruggedized 10-point multi-touch, curved surface touchscreen operation has been feasible in the large format factors that can be used in un-supervised or even outdoor locations, and it underlines the growing need for more sophisticated human-machine interaction in these sectors,” states Ian Crosby, Sales & Marketing Director for Zytronic. “This solution means that engineers are no longer restricted to single plane user interface deployments, but can create designs with enhanced ergonomics that reflect the growing trend already emerging in the portable consumer space for curved surface touch-enabled products such as the Samsung Nexus S and Nokia N9 smartphones”