A touch screen is simply an assembly of two outputs and input devices. The touch screen itself is usually an LCD or LED screen while the device is typically a tablet, laptop, or smartphone. One touch means the user makes a touch gesture, either with the finger or stylus. These input events cause the corresponding output events, which include onscreen commands or other activities on a remote device. The result is a virtual representation of the user’s finger that appears on the display.
To give a short sketch of how a touch screen works, consider the typical example of a push button. pressing this button makes a change in the amount of electric charge to the battery. When the user releases the button, the change in charge is undone and the battery is charged up again. This process is repeated whenever the user places his/her finger on the screen. The result is a series of firings or touches that cause the display to show the changes that were triggered via the finger.
LCD or LED screen can respond to touch points by utilizing a separate light-emitting diode (LED) panels that emits light when the user touches an area on the screen. In the case of a touch screen, the LED lights up as a sign that something happened. In the case of a resistive touch screen, the LEDs are green and stop when the user stops touching the screen. This is called “image clarity”. Image clarity is very important for display purposes, especially for digital signage where it is necessary to display text clearly.
There are three types of touch screen technology: resistive, capacitive and infrared. Resistive touch screen uses an electrical charge to alter the state of the device’s resistive layer. Capacitive touch screen uses an electrical charge to change the current direction of the electric conductors inside the device. Infrared touch screen works with the human body’s thermal radiation to create an image of the surface to be touched. These three types have different approaches to the problem of image clarity.
Some touch screens work in a different way than others. Some use ultrasound while others use surface acoustic wave technology. It is up to the end user to choose which type of touch screen he/she is comfortable with. The advantages and disadvantages of touch screens will be discussed below.
Touch screen protectors are made to negate the wear and tear that touch screens experience. They are also designed to shield the monitor from scratches, marks and other damages that can cause deterioration of the unit’s performance over time. Touch screen protectors come in different shapes, sizes and colors. Some of the more popular protectors include Super Shield, Guarded Glass Screen Protectors, IP Shield and Magnetic Dash Screen Protector.
Pinch-to-Zoom is one of the most common touch screen protector products. This protector works by using pressure instead of touch or a finger to trigger the mechanism that opens and closes the touch sensitive screen. In this mechanism, you have to make an upward swipe with your finger and the monitor’s touch sensitive area will open up to give you the access that you want. This works just like the touch feature of the laptops’ Track Point.
Many devices today including smartphones, tablets, digital cameras and certain portable media players come equipped with touch screens. Although touch screens are very convenient when it comes to using applications, it can also pose some dangers especially to the young kids who are too naturally touchy. The above-mentioned are some of the most popular touch screen protectors that can be bought in the market.