Exploring Some of the Innovative Touchscreen Technology

Touchscreen technology is found just about everywhere. Whether you are lounging at home, working in the office, or commuting to work, you probably have at least one touchscreen device within arm’s reach. But the world of touchscreen technology is evolving, with companies producing some innovative new products. Today, we’re going to explore some of these innovative new technologies

TapSense

What in the world is TapSense? Originally announced 2011, TapSense is a type of touchscreen technology that allows devices to distinguish between different fingers and parts of the hand. For instance, tapping the interface with your index finger may yield one command, while tapping the interface with your thumb or knuckle may yield a different command. TapSense can be used to change formats for writing, such as capitalizing letters or copying and pasting text, among other things.

Dispersive Signal Technology

Created by 3M in 2002, dispersive signal technology measures the piezoelectric effect that happens when a strengthened glass substrate is pressed. As you may already know, the piezoelectric effective is the voltage created when a mechanical force is applied to a material. Dispersive signal technology is designed to measure this force.

Acoustic Pulse Recognition

While most smartphones are made using resistive or capacitive technology, some feature an alternative technology, such as acoustic pulse recognition. With acoustic pulse recognition, tapping the interface generates a small but noticeable sound wave in the substrate. This sound wave is then measured by several transducers attached to the perimeter of the display, which the device uses to determine when and where the touch occurred. The actual sound produced by an acoustic pulse recognition device is silent to the human ear, though these transducers are able to hear it; thus, allowing the device to accurately identify touch commands.

Super AMOLED

Granted, Super AMOLED isn’t limited strictly to touchscreen devices; it’s found in many electronic displays. Super AMOLED is a type of display technology that features a digitizer. This is a dedicated later that detects touch on the scree as opposed to over it. Samsung says that Super AMOLED reflects about 20% as much sunlight as its first generation of AMOLED (hence the name, super). Since then, the technology has remained relatively unchanged, with Samsung simply enhancing its capabilities over time.