Behind the Scenes with Touch Screen Technology

By | January 31, 2011

Touch screen technology.

Touch screen applications have become an integral part of everyday life, but it’s not just the obvious places, like ATM’s, cell phones or portable digital tablets, where this science is used, it’s also the hardware behind many common daily activities.

It’s amazing to think that in such a short space of time progress has leapt from a hand written consignment to an electronic one, including a digital personal signature.  By using this form of data capture, information is quickly and more cost effectively processed, aiding the efficiency of a logistics courier service, in a very competitive market.  Limiting errors is all but extinct, apart from human ones!  Hand written interpretation mistakes and lost paperwork have become a thing of the past, as an interactive digital screen is controlled by a stylus making contact with the surface, causing electrically sensitive currents to react with the liquid crystal display.

Touch screen technology uses.

On that thought, maybe doctors and physicians should use a medically designed touch screen to eliminate medical terminology errors.  This is another topic to cover later…

touch screen

Other uses for touch screen applications, to be taken into account are airport security, where once an item of baggage has been scanned; using a hand held LCD device, any relevant pieces of information can be keyed in, either by using an index finger or stylus.  Damage to the LCD viewing surface must always be avoided, as this renders a costly piece of kit useless.  Employers should introduce a policy for their employees to use it correctly.  How often have you seen a ball point pen, hair grip or key used on the screen?  Personally I wouldn’t use such implements on my cell phone screen – I know what damage it would cause!

Stock control is another application where a hand held touch screen comes into its own.  Sometimes it is just not possible to take goods to a hardwired computer to scan a bar code, but by the means wireless appliance data can be easily recorded and information added via the interactive display.  All this information is relayed to a central point, where it can be accessed in real time, giving valuable data almost instantly.

Very little in the way of training is required to maximise the effectiveness of such technology.  A basic ON-OFF introduction and significant functions will suffice.  Individual departments are only concerned with their specific tasks.  A major consideration is the damage limitation to these appliances.  Although they appear a robust piece of kit – with a certain degree of external protection, once the LCD screen is damaged it is virtually worthless and having an insurance policy to cover replacement units is probably a very good idea.  Employees need educating on the usage as well as reminding to respect the company’s tools.  There have been disciplinaries for misuse and intentional damage to property.

An LCD touch screen in industry is quickly becoming an effective solution to record data, in a way most of us embrace in our every day ‘front of house’ lives.

LCD Enclosure Global offer a range of LCD enclosure that protect outdoor digital signage, now they have integrated touch screen technology into their range of outdoor LCD enclosure.