Zytronic to demo Hybrid Touch for the first time at ISE

Visit Zytronic to play on a large format touch table using new integrated buttons

Zytronic will demonstrate a new Hybrid Touch technology that enables full integration of physical controls within an active touchscreen at ISE (Hall 8, stand G351), 5-8 February 2019, using a 55” touch table with their take on a classic board game for visitors to play.

Zytronic’s hybrid touch allows mechanical buttons and dials to be incorporated in the active area of projected capacitive touchscreens which can be used in videowalls, touch tables and kiosks. This gives designers the best of both worlds: the flexibility of touch sensors and the tactile feel of mechanical controls without the need to incorporate a separate button deck underneath or alongside the screen.  Physical buttons and dials can now be placed in and around the active area of the projected capacitive touchscreen and are connected invisibly through the viewable area of the screen. It is the first time that the two most used control technologies in the world have been closely integrated in this way.

Ian Crosby, Sales and Marketing Director of Zytronic said, “Using Hybrid Touch on the new ZXY500 controller has allowed us to design a fun yet functional table that combines the two most utilised control technologies in the world. Our proprietary Hybrid Touch technology adds a further dimension to our capabilities and the flexibility of design options we offer. This is the debut appearance for this technology at ISE and we are looking forward to sharing the experience with our visitors.”

Zytronic designs and manufactures Hybrid Touch sensors with precisely machined apertures in the touch sensor located and shaped according to the system designers’ specifications, allowing their chosen dials or switches to be placed exactly where required. Zytronic then deposits power and data lines to the mechanical controls embedded within the touch interface using the same proprietary approach as it uses to deposit the touch electrodes, ensuring that they are invisible to the user of the system. These microfine traces are taken to a flex tail at the edge of the screen, where a connection can be implemented to the electromechanical controller. The system’s response to the mechanical control can be context sensitive – giving a very high degree of flexibility in user interface design.

Supporting up to 80 simultaneous touches, the ZXY500 controller allows touch sensors to be designed with an ultra-narrow inactive border, creating a sleek appearance by using the maximum display area. The increased speed of the controller updates touch co-ordinates in just 1ms at the controller output, reducing touch latency by a third compared to previous generation controllers and improving the user experience. Easier to integrate into a system than ever before, ZXY500 controllers enable a faster, more responsive user experience even in demanding outdoor and unattended locations where users may be wearing gloves or applying only a light touch.