A touch screen is a display device that allows users to interact with a computer using their finger or stylus. They're a useful alternative to a mouse or keyboard for navigating a GUI (graphical user interface). Touch screens are used on various devices, such as computer and laptop displays, smartphones, tablets, cash registers, and information kiosks. Some touch screens use a grid of infrared beams to sense the presence of a finger instead of utilizing touch-sensitive input.
The idea of a touch screen was first described and published by E.A. Johnson in 1965. In the early 1970s, CERN engineers Frank Beck and Bent Stumpe developed the first touch screen. The physical product was first created and utilized in 1973. The first resistive touch screen was developed by George Samuel Hurst in 1975 but wasn't produced and used until 1982.
Today, all PCs support the ability to have a touch screen, and most laptop computers allow users running Microsoft Windows 10 to use a touch screen. Also, many all-in-one computers are capable of using a touch screen. Computer manufacturers with touch screen products include Acer, Dell, HP (Hewlett-Packard), Lenovo, Microsoft, and other PC manufacturers.
There are also some high-end Google Chromebooks with touch screens. However, to help keep the costs lower, many Chromebooks do not have touch screens.
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All Apple computers and laptops do not have touch screens. However, other Apple devices, like the iPad and iPhone, support and use touch screens.
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To help keep costs lower, not all computers and laptops come with a touch screen. If a touch screen interests you, ensure it's mentioned in the product specifications. The computer likely does not have a touch screen if it's not listed.
If your laptop screen is not touch-capable, there is no way to change the screen to a touch screen. The laptop must have a touch screen when originally purchased to have that functionality. When purchasing a laptop, and you want touch screen functionality, check if it includes a touch screen before buying.
If your desktop computer monitor is not touch-capable, there is no way to change the monitor to a touch screen. You need to purchase a new monitor that includes touch functionality. Before purchasing a new monitor, verify the operating system on your computer also supports a touch screen.
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Mac computers and the macOS currently do not have or support a touch screen.
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Not all touch screens have the same functions, but the actions below are the most common.
Tap - A single touch or tap on the screen with a finger opens an app or selects an object. Compared to a traditional computer, a tap is the same as clicking with a mouse.
Double-tap - A double-tap can have different functions depending on where it is utilized. For example, double-tapping the screen zooms the view centered at the tap location in a browser. Double-tapping in a text editor selects a word or section of words.
Touch and hold - Pressing and holding your finger to a touch screen selects or highlights an object. See our long press page for further information on this term.
Drag - Pressing and holding your finger on a movable object, such as an icon, you can drag your finger to "pull" the object to a different location. The same action, used with text, lets you highlight text. Lift your finger when you are done moving or highlighting.
Swipe - Swiping your finger across the screen scrolls in a certain direction or changes the page. For example, pressing your finger at the bottom of the screen and quickly moving it up (swiping) scrolls the screen down. See our swipe page for further information and related links.
Pinch - Placing two fingers on the screen in different spots and then pinching them together zooms in. Pinching your fingers together and moving them away from each other zooms out on the screen. See our pinch-to-zoom page for further information on this term.
Any computer device (including a touch screen) that takes input from the person operating the device is considered an input device. How you use your finger on a touch screen is similar to how you use a computer mouse on a desktop computer.
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Technically speaking, a touch screen is an input/output device. Not only is it capable of accepting input, but it also displays the output from the computer.
A computer mouse and a touch screen have many similarities. Many of them are mentioned in the how do you use the touch screen section above.
One of the most significant differences between a mouse and a touch screen is the ability to hover. Almost all touch screens can only detect input when your finger is in direct contact with the screen. However, a computer mouse uses a cursor that allows the user to view the information by moving the pointer over an object but not clicking it. For example, this link to Computer Hope shows the text "Visit the Computer Hope Page" when hovered over using a computer mouse. However, a user with a touch screen cannot see this text because it opens the link if they place their finger on the link.
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Some web pages and apps may simulate the hover feature by making the first tap do the hover feature and the second tap open the link or app. Also, some Apple devices use Force Touch, which offers features similar to hovering.
Today, the touch screen is a popular type of input device. Below are some places and examples where touch screens may be used.
Below are why a manufacturer may use a touch screen instead of another input method, such as physical buttons.
Not all touch screens are the same. Different technologies allow a user to interact with a screen. Some technologies may work with only your finger, while others may allow other tools, like a stylus. Below is a brief description of each of these technologies.
A capacitive touch screen is coated with a special material that stores an electrical charge monitored by circuits at each corner of the screen. When you touch a capacitive touch screen, a small amount of the electrical charge is drawn from the point of contact to indicate where you touched the screen.
You must use your bare finger or a specially designed capacitive stylus to use a capacitive screen. Most users experience this type of screen technology when attempting to use a smartphone touch screen while wearing gloves and cannot do anything.
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There are specially designed gloves that allow one or more fingers to interact with a capacitive screen.
A resistive touch screen is coated with a metallic electrically conductive and resistive layer that detects the pressure of your finger or another object. This technology is often more affordable than capacitive but can be damaged by sharp objects touching the screen.
A SAW (surface acoustic wave) or surface wave touch screen sends ultrasonic waves and detects when the screen is touched by registering wave changes. This technology is more advanced than the other two but does not work with hard materials and can be affected by outside elements.
Infrared touch screens utilize a matrix of infrared beams transmitted by LEDs with a phototransistor receiving end. The infrared beam is blocked when a finger or other object is near the display. That interruption gives the device input to where your finger or another object is positioned.
Touch screens utilize a virtual keyboard to input letters and numbers, allowing users to tap the virtual keys with their fingers. Also, devices like smartphones and tablets have voice recognition for inputting information into the device.
There are programs to help test a touch screen and all of its touch points. For example, the IsMyTouchScreenOK from SoftwareOK is such a program.
In all forms of writing, touch screen and touchscreen are valid spellings. If used as an adjective, the word may be hyphenated, e.g., "touch-screen devices."
App, Force touch, Hardware terms, Input device, Interactive video, Peripheral, Pointing device, Swipe, Tablet mode, Tactile output, Touch, Video terms
You interact with a touch screen monitor constantly throughout your daily life. You will see them in cell phones, ATM’s, kiosks, ticket vending machines, manufacturing plants and more. All of these use touch panels to enable the user to interact with a computer or device without the use of a keyboard or mouse. But did you know there are several uniquely different types of Touch Screens? The five most common types of touch screen are: 5-Wire Resistive, Surface Capacitive touch, Projected Capacitive (P-Cap), SAW (Surface Acoustic Wave), and IR (Infrared).
We are often asked “How does a touch screen monitor work?” A touch screen basically replaces the functionality of a keyboard and mouse. Below is a basic description of 5 types of touch screen monitor technology.
The advantages and disadvantages of type of touch screen will help you decide which type touchscreen is most appropriate for your needs:
5-Wire Resistive Touch is the most widely touch technology in use today. A resistive touch screen monitor is composed of a glass panel and a film screen, each covered with a thin metallic layer, separated by a narrow gap. For instance, when a user touches the screen, the two metallic layers make contact, resulting in electrical flow. The point of contact is detected by this change in voltage.
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Surface Capacitive touch screen is the second most popular type of touch screens on the market. In a surface capacitive touch screen monitor, a transparent electrode layer is placed on top of a glass panel. This is then covered by a protective cover. When an exposed finger touches the monitor screen, it reacts to the static electrical capacity of the human body. Consequently, some of the electrical charge transfers from the screen to the user. This decrease in capacitance is detected by sensors located at the four corners of the screen, allowing the controller to determine the touch point. Surface capacitive touch screens can only be activated by the touch of human skin or a stylus holding an electrical charge.
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Projected Capacitive (P-Cap) is similar to Surface Capacitive, but it offers two primary advantages. First, in addition to a bare finger, it can also be activated with surgical gloves or thin cotton gloves. Secondly, P-Cap enables multi-touch activation (simultaneous input from two or more fingers). A projected capacitive touch screen is composed of a sheet of glass with embedded transparent electrode films and an IC chip. This creates a three dimensional electrostatic field. Therefore, when a finger comes into contact with the screen, the ratios of the electrical currents change and the computer is able to detect the touch points. All our P-Cap touch screens feature a Zero-Bezel enclosure.
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SAW (Surface Acoustic Wave) touch screen monitors utilize a series of piezoelectric transducers and receivers. These are positioned along the sides of the monitor’s glass plate to create an invisible grid of ultrasonic waves on the surface. When the panel is touched, a portion of the wave is absorbed. This allows the receiving transducer to locate the touch point and send this data to the computer. SAW monitors can be activated by a finger, gloved hand, or soft-tip stylus. SAW monitors offer easy use and high visibility.
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IR (Infrared) type touch screen monitors do not overlay the display with an additional screen or screen sandwich. Instead, infrared monitors use IR emitters and receivers to create an invisible grid of light beams across the screen. This ensures the best possible image quality. When an object interrupts the invisible infrared light beam, the sensors are able to locate the touch point. The X and Y coordinates are then sent to the controller.
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We hope you found these touch screen basics useful. TRU-Vu provides industrial touch screen monitors in a wide range of sizes and configurations. This includes UL60601-1 Medical touch screens, Sunlight Readable touch screens, Open Frame touch screens, Waterproof touch screens and many custom touch screen designs. You can learn more by viewing TRU-Vu Touchscreens or call us at 847-259-2344. To address safety and hygiene concerns, see our article on “Touch Screen Cleaning and Disinfecting“.
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