Ever wonder how projective capacitive touchscreens register touch events? Different types of touchscreens use different methods to register touch events. Resisitve touchscreens, for instance, use two or more layers of an electrically resistive material. When you press the display interface, you’ll force the top layer into the bottom layer. The resistive touchscreen will then respond with the appropriate action. Projective capacitive touchscreens use a different method to register touch events. For a better understanding of how projective capacitive touchscreens work, keep reading.
Overview of Projected Capacitive Touchscreens
Projected capacitive is a form of capacitive touchscreen technology. Projected capacitive touchscreens feature transparent electrodes that are etched into a glass or plastic substrate. The electrodes are arranged in a grid pattern. When a finger or conductive object touches the surface of the display interface, it creates a distortion in the electrical field that is sensed by the electrodes.
Projective Capacitive Touchscreens and Touch Events: What You Should Know
Like all capacitive touchscreens, projected capacitive touchscreens leverage an electrostatic field to register touch events. When turned on, they will produce an electrostatic field across the display interface. At the same time, projected capacitive touchscreens will measure this electrostatic field while looking for changes in capacitance.
The human body is an excellent conductor of electricity. When you touch the display interface on a capacitive touchscreen, your finger will absorb some of its electrical charge. The otherwise uniform electrostatic field will then change, and the capacitive touchscreen will register the touch event.
Projected Capacitive vs Capacitive Touchscreens
Projected capacitive touchscreens are distinguished from other types of capacitive touchscreens by their use of individually etched electrodes. All capacitive touchscreens leverage an electrostatic field to register touch events, but only projected capacitive touchscreens feature individually etched electrodes.
The electrodes on a projected capacitive touchscreen are etched into the surface of the display interface. These electrodes form a grid pattern. Electricity will flow through the electrodes, during which the projected capacitance touchscreen will look for changes in capacitance. Exposure to a bare finger or any other conductive object will result in a change in capacitance.
In Conclusion
They may sound complicated, but projected capacitive touchscreens use a relatively simple method to register touch events. They project a uniform electrostatic field. Within the top layer of a projected capacitive touchscreen is a grid of electrodes. Touching the display interface will change this electrostatic field, and the projected capacitive touchscreen will register this change as a touch event.
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