IR Grid Touchscreens: What Are LED Detectors?

Not all touchscreens use capacitive or resistive technology to detect touch commands. While capacitive and resistive are the most common touchscreen technologies, there are others available, including infrared (IR) grid. Also known simply as IR, IR grid is a relatively new touchscreen technology that leverages IR light to detect touch commands. It projects IR light, and it uses light-emitting diode (LED) detectors to sense the light. For a better understanding of LED detectors and how they work in IR grid touchscreens, keep reading.

What Are LED Detectors?

LED detectors are light sensors. They are designed to detect the IR light produced by IR grid touchscreens. You can find LED detectors along the edges of an IR grid touchscreen. LEDs will produce light beams that shine across the surface of the display interface, and LED detectors will pick and “sense” this light. All IR grid touchscreens feature LED detectors. They are essentially light sensors that provide the touch-sensing mechanism for IR grid touchscreens.

The Role LED Detectors Play in IR Grid Touchscreens

Without LED detectors, IR grid touchscreens won’t work. IR grid touchscreens are characterized by their use of IR light to detect touch commands. They identify touch commands by looking for disruptions in IR light. LED and LED detectors are responsible for producing and sensing this IR light, respectively.

When you turn on an IR grid touchscreen, light beams will begin to project across the display interface. You won’t be able to see these light beams. Nonetheless, they will constantly travel across the display interface. At the same time, LED detectors will sense this IR light. If you perform a touch command, your finger — or a stylus — will block the IR light. The corresponding LED detector will notice that the IR light has been disrupted, so the IR touchscreen will respond by registering a touch event.

IR Grid Touchscreens and Gloves: What You Should Know

You don’t have to use a bare finger to perform touch commands on an IR grid touchscreen. Thanks to its LED detectors, it will detect all types of touch commands. IR grid touchscreens can detect touch commands performed with a bare finger or a gloved finger.

Even if you wear gloves, you’ll disrupt the IR light when performing touch commands on an IR grid touchscreen. Your gloved finger will block the IR light. The corresponding LED detector will notice this disruption, thus allowing the IR grid touchscreen to register the touch event.