It is no question that touchscreens are now a part of our everyday life. We swipe away without a second thought on how they actually work. There are many ways in which touchscreens function. Two common technologies are resistive and capacitive touchscreens. Resistive touchscreens rely on applied pressure to work. [ihc-hide-content ihc_mb_type=”show” ihc_mb_who=”2,3″ ihc_mb_template=”1″ ] Generally, there are two separate layers – a top flexible and transparent layer (typically plastic), and a rigid bottom layer (usually glass). These layers are thinly coated with a transparent, conductive metal compound.
These two layers only connect when a finger or stylus forces the flexible outer layer onto the bottom layer. Doing so creates a change in voltage that helps inform a small processor of the location of the press. Capacitive touchscreens do not rely on pressure. Instead, they work by sensing changes in electrical charge running through the screens. Capacitive touchscreens are typically made of glass with thin lines of capacitive (electricity-storing) material arranged in a grid across the glass.
When something conductive, like a finger, comes in contact with the screen, the amount of electric charge at that specific point is changed. That information is then relayed back to the device’s processor. Resistive touchscreens, which are durable and affordable to manufacture, can be found in credit card readers. Capacitive touchscreens, which are more responsive to touch, are commonly found in modern smartphones and tablets.[/ihc-hide-content]
