Zytronic addresses public touchscreen surface contamination with Antimicrobial Corning® Gorilla® Glass

Zytronic, a leader in self-service Projected Capacitive Technology (PCT™ and MPCT™) touch sensors today announced the option of Corning’s Antimicrobial Corning® Gorilla® Glass to help prevent the spread of stain and odour-causing bacteria on self-service kiosks and other public-use touchscreens.

The announcement follows the conclusion of an agreement between Zytronic Displays Ltd. and Corning Incorporated covering the supply of Antimicrobial Corning Gorilla Glass to Zytronic for incorporation in automated teller machines, point of sale systems, digital signage systems, medical devices and point of information touchscreens.

Ian Crosby, Sales and Marketing Director at Zytronic, said, “Touchscreens offer great benefits, but bacteria may live and even multiply on a glass surface even if it is regularly cleaned. We are now able to offer the option of using Antimicrobial Corning Gorilla Glass to enhance their performance further by helping to protect the touch surface from stain and odour-causing bacteria. The antimicrobial property is integral to the glass itself and is capable of lasting the lifetime of the terminal – it isn’t a coating or film which can be damaged or wear out.” He added, “We are seeing growing customer interest in this feature, especially from North America and Asia.”

Zytronic has collaborated with Corning, to use their unique Antimicrobial Corning Gorilla Glass, the first antimicrobial cover glass registered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as a safe and non-toxic material for display cover glass in kiosks, wayfinders, touch tables and other applications. This glass contains an ionic silver component which serves as an agent greatly reducing the ability of bacteria to proliferate, helping to keep the glass clean. Furthermore, Gorilla Glass is tough and scratch resistant, so is unlikely to develop cracks in which bacteria can multiply.  The anti-microbial agent does not affect the excellent optical clarity of the glass. For external or unattended touchscreen applications, where added rigidity and impact resistance may be needed, Zytronic can laminate the chemically strengthened Antimicrobial Corning Gorilla Glass cover layer with a thicker, thermally tempered rear glass, to create an incredibly impact resistant ZyTouch™ sensor.

Combining the renowned benefits of damage resistance, optical clarity and touch sensitivity, the Antimicrobial Corning Gorilla Glass is formulated with antimicrobial properties to help keep touch surfaces clean of stain and odour causing bacteria, with a performance that will last the lifetime of the display. The combination of this unique glass and Zytronic’s award-winning Projected Capacitive Technology (PCT™) will provide manufacturers of high use, self-service touchscreen terminals with a solution that helps to address concern of stain and odour-causing bacteria.