5 Types of Touchscreen with Their Pros and Cons

With the growth of smart devices, the application of touchscreens is getting closer and closer to our life. Various electronic devices, vehicle tools, daily entertainment equipment, shopping navigation equipment, etc., and the LCD touchscreen has already been integrated into our daily life. When we meet various touch technologies and choose a device with a touchscreen, many questions often arise. What are the advantages of touch displays, and how to choose a better one? Today I will show you a brief introduction to 5 common types of touch screens, as well as their advantages and disadvantages.

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According to the touch principle, touch screens can be divided into five basic types: capacitive touchscreens, resistive touchscreens, infrared technology touchscreens, surface acoustic wave technology touchscreens, and low electromagnetic guidance touchscreens. In fact, there are four types of touch screens that we often come into contact with at present, they are resistive touch, capacitive touch, infrared and surface acoustic wave touch. We mainly introduce the differences between these 4 types of touch displays.

1: Capacitive Touchscreen

The technology of the capacitive touch is inseparable from the human body. It needs the mutual induction of the human body current and the ITO conductive layer to work.

First of all, the capacitive touch has 4 layers of glass. The inner surface of the glass and the interlayer are each coated with a layer of ITO. The outermost layer is a protective layer of silica glass. The interlayer ITO coating is used as the working surface, and the electrodes are respectively drawn out from the four corners. when there is a touch with the human body, the finger and the working surface form a current, and the current flows out from the electrodes on the four corners of the touch screen, and the electrodes can sense the change of the surface charge and then determine the coordinates of the touch point. Capacitive touchscreens require only touch, not pressure.

Pros of Capacitive Touchscreen

1. The capacitive touch has fewer corrections working after production, which can improve work efficiency and reduce the generation of defective products;

2. Long working life;

3. Light transmittance and clarity are better than the resistive touchscreen;

4. Capacitive touch is easy to design on large-size LCD display and the cost is relatively low;

5. Can support multi-touch technology.

Cons of Capacitive Touchscreens

1. When a large-area palm or a handheld conductor is close to the capacitive touch display, even if there is no touch on the screen panel, it can also cause a touch action on the display panel;

2. For objects such as wearing gloves or holding an insulating object, the touch does not work, because the insulation medium is added, and the touch point will move;

2. The light transmittance of the capacitive touch screen is not uniform, and there is a problem with color distortion. Due to the reflection of light between the layers, the image characters will be blurred;

4. When the ambient temperature and humidity change, it will cause the capacitive touch point to move and the touch will be inaccurate.

 

2: Resistive Touchscreen

A resistive touchscreen is a type of touchscreen that uses pressure sensing for control.

It uses two layers of ITO (Indium Tin Oxide) plastic film (ITO+Glass) coated with conductive function. The side of adjacent to the film and glass are all coated with ITO coating. When there is no pressure, there is a gap between the two layers of ITO, and the certain gap is in a non-conductive state. When there is pressure, whether it is human finger pressure or object pressure, the two ITO layers will contact to form a current signal, and then convert the corresponding pressure point by detecting the X-axis and Y-axis voltage changes to complete the touch processing of the entire screen mechanism.

Pros of Resistive Touchscreens

1. Mature technology, low cost;

2. Good environmental adaptability, no worry about the influence of dust, water vapor and oil pollution;

3. Good stability, both the human body and objects can be touched;

4. The precision of the resistive touch screen is high; it is easy to design on a large resolution LCD screen;

Cons of Resistive Touchscreens

1. The touchscreen is easily scratched and the makes the touch is unavailable;

2. Poor light transmission, easy to increase battery consumption;

3. When multi-touch is used, due to unbalanced pressure, the tactility is not good, and the touch point will be incorrect;

4. Relatively low touch sensitivity.

Click this to check the Difference Between Resistive Touchscreen and Capacitive Touchscreen.

 

3: Infrared  Touchscreen

The infrared touchscreen is easy to install, just add a light spot distance frame on the LCD display panel, no need to coat any IoT. The infrared touch display uses the dense infrared matrix in the X and Y directions to detect and locate the touch point. When the user touches the screen, the touching object will block the two horizontal and vertical infrared rays passing through the position, so as to obtain the position of the touch point to realize the touch. Any touching object can change the infrared rays on the contacts to realize the touch screen operation.

Pros of Infrared Touchscreen

1. The infrared touchscreen is not affected by the current, voltage and static electricity;

2. Low price, easy installation, no need for any controller;

3. Compatible with computers of various grades.

Cons of Infrared Touchscreen

1. Difficult to use on large size LCD screens;

2. Easily disturbed by external light,

3. The infrared touch screen is not waterproof or oil-proof, and any small foreign objects will cause errors and affect its performance.

 

4. Surface Acoustic Wave Touchscreen

The touch screen part surface of acoustic wave touch can be in a flat, spherical or cylindrical glass plate, a piece of glass installed in front of the CRT, LED, LCD or plasma display screen. This glass has been strengthened and specially treated, and it is installed on the surface of the display. Vertical and horizontal ultrasonic senders are installed on the upper left and lower right corners of the glass, and ultrasonic receivers are installed in the upper right and low left corners. when the finger touches the glass surface, the finger absorbs part of the sound wave energy, the controller records this anomaly and calculates the position of the touch point.

Pros Surface Acoustic Wave Touchscreen

1. High clarity and good light transmittance.

2. Highly durable, good scratch resistance and responsive.

3. Not affected by environmental factors such as temperature and humidity, high resolution, and long prolife;

4. High light transmittance, can maintain clear and bright image quality;

Cons of Surface Acoustic Wave Touchscreen

1. Applicable to smaller screens, hard to use on larger screens more than 30 inches;

2. Susceptible to moisture damage, so not suitable for many industrial and commercial applications;

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3. Dirty surfaces can cause dark spots on the screen and require regular cleaning

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Capacitive touch screens work by detecting touch through the properties of the body while infrared touch screens use infrared sensors, for touch detection.

Capacitive screens are known for their high touch sensitivity and are commonly seen in smartphones and tablets.

On the other hand, infrared touch screens are more robust and suitable for environments.

Both types vary in terms of cost, lifespan, and applications which we will delve into further in this blog post. 

Let's dive in.

What is a capacitive touch screen?

A capacitive touch screen is a display that detects touch inputs based on the characteristics of the human body.

It comprises a panel made of glass or transparent plastic with a layer, on top. When touched a small electrical charge is transferred to the user altering capacitance at that spot.

Sensors positioned at the screen corners detect this change in capacitance enabling the system to pinpoint the location of the touch.

What is an infrared touch screen?

A touch screen also referred to as an IR touch screen employs an array of LEDs and photodetectors to register touch inputs.

Touch screens usually have a frame, around the display with LEDs on one side and photodetectors on the side. 

When someone touches the screen, it disrupts the light beams prompting the sensors to determine where the touch occurred based on how the interruption pattern looks.

What is the capacitive touch screen working principle?

Touch screens function based on capacitance which is how well an object can store an electrical charge. 

When a finger or something conductive touches the screen, it changes the field slightly affecting capacitance at that spot. 

The touch screen controller detects this capacitance change figures out where the touch happened and then sends that input to the device's software for processing.

Capacitive touch screen not working: Important troubleshooting steps

Step 1: Inspect for Physical Damage

Check if there are any cracks scratches or damage that could affect how well it works.

Step 2: Keep It Clean

Dirt, grease, or moisture might mess with how responsive it is to touch. Use a cloth or mild cleaner to clean it.

Step 3: Calibration

Sometimes, recalibrating may be needed to make sure its responsiveness is back on track. Look into calibration options, in your device settings.

Step 4: Keep Your Drivers Updated

Make sure your drivers are updated to avoid any touch screen troubles caused by drivers.

Step 5: Test or Restart the Device

Give your device a reboot when facing software glitches or temporary issues with the touch screen.

How does an infrared touch screen work?

Infrared touch screens work by using an array of LEDs and photodetectors to recognize touch inputs.

These LEDs emit light over the screen creating a grid pattern. 

When someone touches the screen it disrupts the light beams forming a shadow within the grid. 

The photodetectors identify this pattern of interruption. Determine the touch location based on where the shadow appears.

Capacitive Touch Screen vs Infrared: Material

Capacitive Touch Screen: Typically made with a glass or see-through panel layered with a capacitive coating.

Infrared Touch Screen: Comprises an array of LEDs and photodetectors enclosed in a frame around the display.

Capacitive Touch Screen vs Infrared: Touch sensitivity

Capacitive Touch Screen: Provides excellent touch sensitivity and responsiveness of detecting gentle touches or gestures.

Infrared Touch Screen: Also delivers touch sensitivity accurately recognizing touch inputs, over the screen surface.

Capacitive Touch Screen vs Infrared: Applications

When comparing capacitive touch screens and infrared options in terms of applications, the former is commonly seen in smartphones, tablets, ATMs, kiosks, and various consumer electronics that require touch input. 

On the other hand, infrared touch screens are more suitable for applications that demand durability and resistance to factors like outdoor kiosks, industrial control panels, and interactive digital signage.

Capacitive Touch Screen vs Infrared: Cost

In terms of cost comparison between capacitive touch screens and infrared ones, the former is generally pricier due to its manufacturing process and high touch sensitivity. 

Conversely, infrared touch screens are typically more budget-friendly than screens making them a cost-effective choice for applications.

How much does a capacitive touch screen cost?

The pricing of a capacitive touch screen can vary based on factors such as size, resolution, and brand. 

Smaller screens for consumer devices can range from $10 to $50 while larger industrial-grade screens may cost a hundred dollars or more. 

How much does an infrared touch screen cost?

Infrared touch screens are usually more affordable than ones. 

Prices for touch screens can start at around $20 for panels and go up to a few hundred dollars for larger sizes or specialized applications.

Capacitive Touch Screen vs Infrared: Lifespan

In general, capacitive touch screens tend to last than infrared touch screens because they are more resistant, to damage from physical interactions.

Regarding infrared touch screens, they might deteriorate over time due to being exposed to elements like dust, moisture, and changes in temperature.

Capacitive vs Infrared Touch Screen Advantages and Disadvantages

Capacitive Touch Screen Advantages

•  Offers high touch sensitivity and responsiveness
•  Supports multi touch gestures
•  Features a durable and scratch resistant surface

Capacitive Touch Screen Disadvantages

•  Generally more costly compared to other touch screen technologies
•  Vulnerable to interference from moisture or conductive materials

Infrared Touch Screen Advantages

•  Known for excellent durability and resistance, to physical damage
•  Compatible with gloved hands or stylus input
•  Cost-effective choice for specific applications

Infrared Touch Screen Disadvantages

•  Lower touch sensitivity when compared to capacitive touch screens
•  Prone to environmental factors such as dust accumulation and temperature fluctuations

Summary Comparison Table

AspectCapacitive Touch ScreenInfrared Touch ScreenMaterialGlass/plastic panel with a capacitive layerFrame with infrared LEDs and photodetectors Touch SensitivityHighGoodApplicationsConsumer electronics, kiosks, ATMsOutdoor kiosks, industrial control panels CostTypically HigherUsually LowerLifespanLongerModerateAdvantagesHigh touch sensitivity, multi-touch supportDurability, usually works with gloves on DisadvantagesExpensive, more prone to interferenceLower touch sensitivity 

Capacitive Touch Screen vs Infrared: FAQs

FAQ

• 1. What is an example of a capacitive screen?

  A capacitive touch screen, like the one found in smartphones and tablets, lets users interact with the device through touch gestures.

• 2. Are smartphone screens capacitive?

  Yes, typically smartphone screens use touch technology that allows users to navigate menus, type messages, and perform functions, by simply touching the screen with their fingers.

Key Takeaway

Although both capacitive and infrared touch screens have their strengths, they are suitable for different uses.

Choosing between them depends on factors, such as touch sensitivity, durability, cost, and specific application requirements. 

It's important to understand the distinctions and capabilities of each technology when deciding on the touch screen solution for an application.

Contact us to discuss your requirements of infrared touch frames. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.