MicroTouch™ PL Resistive Series, Touch Screen Overlays

Touch screen overlays are specifically designed to provide touch functionality to screens or displays that do not have built-in touch interfaces. These overlays allow users to interact with the display through physical contact, typically using a finger or stylus. There are different types of touch screen overlays available to suit various application requirements. Capacitive, resistive, and infrared overlays are among the most common options. Each type utilizes different technologies to detect touch input and enable user interaction. Capacitive overlays rely on the electrical properties of the human body to detect touch. They feature a transparent conductive layer that responds to the electrical charge transferred from the user's finger or conductive stylus. This type of overlay offers excellent touch sensitivity and supports multi-touch gestures. Resistive overlays consist of multiple layers, including a flexible top layer and a rigid bottom layer separated by tiny air gaps. When pressure is applied to the top layer, it flexes and makes contact with the bottom layer, generating touch input. Resistive overlays are known for their durability and compatibility with various pointing devices. Infrared overlays use a grid of infrared sensors that are placed around the display's edges. When an object, such as a finger or stylus, breaks the infrared beams, the touch position is detected. Infrared overlays offer high touch accuracy and can support large-sized displays. To facilitate communication between the touch screen overlay and the connected device, various control interfaces are available. The most common interfaces include USB, RS-232, and other serial protocols. These interfaces allow for seamless integration and communication between the touch screen overlay and the host device, enabling accurate touch input recognition and response. In summary, touch screen overlays are designed to add touch functionality to screens or displays that lack built-in touch interfaces. With options such as capacitive, resistive, and infrared overlays, along with different control interfaces like USB, RS-232, and serial protocols, these overlays provide versatile solutions for enabling user interaction through physical touch or stylus input on a wide range of displays and applications.