| Recently, the CEOs of both Samsung and LG told | | | | sensor therefore exhibits a precisely controlled field of |
| audiences at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona that | | | | stored electrons in both the horizontal and vertical |
| their companies would only sell touch screen cell | | | | axes - it achieves capacitance. The human body is |
| phones after 2012. The number two and three cellular | | | | also an electrical device which has stored electrons |
| handset OEMs [in terms of volume] believe that touch | | | | and therefore also exhibits capacitance. Capacitive |
| screen phones will be less expensive to manufacture | | | | sensors work based on proximity, and do not have to |
| [key pads and the dome sheets cost about USD $1-2, | | | | be directly touched to be triggered. It is a durable |
| they wear-out, and they generate ~20% of the RMAs] | | | | technology that is used in a wide range of applications |
| in the near future. And yet, I think we can all agree, | | | | including point-of-sale systems, industrial controls, and |
| black or white monoliths with virtual "buttons" are not | | | | public information kiosks. It has a higher clarity than |
| the best user experience on a cell phone. | | | | Resistive technology, but it only responds to finger |
| There are two major types of touch screens: | | | | contact and will not work with a gloved hand or pen |
| Resistive and Capacitive. Both have strengths and | | | | stylus. Capacitive touch screens can also support |
| both have weaknesses. [From Wikipedia] "A resistive | | | | Multitouch." [Also from Wikipedia] Capacitive touch |
| touch screen panel is composed of several layers. | | | | screens are comparatively more expensive and have |
| The most important are two thin metallic electrically | | | | difficulty in humid and rainy environments. And in my |
| conductive and resistive layers separated by thin | | | | not-so-humble opinion, the amount of false-positive |
| space. When some object touches this kind of touch | | | | responses that can be generated on a capacitive |
| panel, the layers are connected at a certain point; the | | | | screen is extremely challenging to the UX. |
| panel then electrically acts similar to two voltage | | | | So both of the popular types of touch screens have |
| dividers with connected outputs. This causes a change | | | | challenges to the UX. Yet adding haptics or tactile |
| in the electrical current which is registered as a touch | | | | feedback to a touch screen enhances considerably |
| event and sent to the controller for processing. | | | | the overall UX. Research from the University of |
| "Resistive touchscreen panels are generally the most | | | | Glasgow Scotland [Brewster, Chohan, and Brown |
| affordable technology but offer only 75% clarity | | | | 2007] suggests that users reduce errors (20%), |
| (premium films and glass finishes allow transmissivity to | | | | increase input speed (20%), and lower their cognitive |
| approach 85%) and the layer can be permanently | | | | load (40%) when touch screens are combined with |
| damaged by sharp/hard objects [ed. like keys in your | | | | haptics, [vs. non-haptic touch screens]. The same |
| pocket]. Resistive touch screen panels are not | | | | group is currently examining the combination of visual, |
| affected by outside elements such as dust or water | | | | auditory and touch feedback and the permutations |
| and are the type most commonly used today." In most | | | | therein. Results are expected later this year. |
| resistive touch screens, when the implementation is | | | | LG and Samsung both use haptics when deploying |
| good - the user experience is adequate. When the | | | | touch screen phones and have delivered over 30M |
| resistive touch screen is average [or below], the UX is | | | | such devices in 2008. Nokia has licensed and deployed |
| difficult [with screens maddeningly requiring greater or | | | | [and will continue to deploy] haptics. |
| lesser pressure than is intuitive]. | | | | Opportunities exist for ATMs/kiosks, PNDs, PMPs, |
| A capacitive "touch screen panel is coated with a | | | | automotive, gaming and other devices to deploy |
| material, typically indium tin oxide [ITO], that conducts a | | | | haptics and thereby enhance the overall UX. What |
| continuous electrical current across the sensor. The | | | | other devices could benefit from haptics? |