Force-Sensing Technology Works With Any Material

The patent-pending InfiniTouch Force Panel Technology enables any semi-rigid material—metal, glass, wood, stone, ceramic, plastic, or any combination of these—to sense touch. Suited for use in both secure indoor and harsh unsecured environments, the technology resists impacts of more than 1400G. It also can work with elevated and irregular surfaces, attachments, and penetrations. It features self-calibration and is scalable to any size, with versions proven to 1.2 m. The highly light-transmissive technology supports two-sided displays. It can be operated by the touch of a finger, gloved hand, stylus, or other object, even when covered with ice, water, dust, or debris. It supports signature capture as well.

The technology differs from existing bending wave and projected capacitive touch screens in two major ways. First, force-based touch sensing allows it to directly measure the force of a user's touch, rather than using a complex, indirect measurement. The location and force of the user's touch can be quickly and accurately determined by placing four force sensors near the corners of the touch surface. Relatively simple mathematical equations can be used to determine the X-Y location of the touch and the corresponding Z-axis force. Second, the technology's unique configuration enables any semi-rigid material, of any shape, to become touch-sensitive. This capability gives designers the freedom to construct the panel to be as durable, waterproof, and aesthetically pleasing as desired.