Force-Sensing Touchscreens and Solutions

Zytronic’s force-sensing touch solutions offer touch-sense interactivity via our bespoke PCAP controllers and firmware. Our solutions can be custom-made to meet your specific requirements, presenting your staff and potential customers with a new way to interface with your company.

What are force-sensing touch solutions?

Force-sensing touchscreens are innovative touch solutions that take into account the force exerted by the user to enhance the interface experience. We first demonstrated this incredible technology in 2017, revealing further interactivity possibilities for your business.

This exciting touch solution enhancement offers further accessibility benefits. Soft touches can be configured to trigger an audio description or display larger text, while a hard touch can be used to confirm the user selection.

A force-sensing touchscreen also provides safety and security benefits, with a hard touch configured to confirm a particular selection, while soft touches indicate hesitance, prompting the screen to display further information or guidance. This eliminates the disadvantages of false triggers and restricts human error, preventing users from accidentally completing a purchase or setting a specific event in motion.

These types of touch solution are also great for use in the gaming, commercial and industrial sectors. Soft touches can be configured to bring up menu selections and potential options, while hard touches can be used to activate the choice, moving the game forward or confirming a bet.

How do force-sensing touch solutions work?

Zytronic’s unique technological approach to force-sensing touch solutions is based on the changes in measured capacitive signal levels at the relevant location on the screen. These changes are registered as the measured surface area of the applied touch increases.

This technology provides a new way to enrich the customer interaction experience by detecting the force exerted by the individual and then responding accordingly.

How are force-sensing touchscreens made?

At Zytronic, we develop electronics, controllers, algorithms and firmware that provide force-sensing functionality when married to a PCAP touch sensor.

These individual parts are then put together in-house, creating your bespoke touch solution.

What can force-sensing touchscreens be used for?

Force-sensing technology opens up a whole new dimension of interactivity, great for use across multiple sectors and business types:

Interactive digital signs

Soft touches can be used to display a menu of options when it comes to interactive digital signs, while hard touches can confirm a direction or product selection, revealing further instructions.

Self-service kiosks

Force-sensing in self-service kiosks allow users to preview potential selections with a soft touch and confirm their decision with a hard touch.

Slot machines

Soft touches can be configured to reveal potential gameplay options or decisions, with hard touches logging a bet or confirming a spin on the slot machine.

ATMs

Force-sensing in ATMs can enhance accessibility for those who require audio description (AD), with a soft touch triggering an audio confirmation or explanation of a selection and a hard touch confirming it.

This technology also offers security benefits, with only a hard touch triggering confirmation of payment, while soft touches are dismissed as hesitant or erroneous.

Interactive video walls

When it comes to interactive video walls, soft touches can expand windows, enable previews and stop or start video footage, while hard touches could change the video topic or confirm an option selection.

These force-sensing touch solutions are great for use in museum, educational and office settings, allowing students, staff and visitors alike to interact in new and innovative ways.