Touch screens, touch screen kiosks, touch screen monitors, touch screen technology, Touch Screen Kiosk
Software, touchscreen kiosk application - WHAT IS IT ALL ABOUT??
It seems like the world has gone crazy with this new touch screen craze - but what is a touch screen kiosk
and how does it differ from all the other kiosks available - internet kiosk, self-service kiosk, interactive
kiosk, multimedia kiosk, information kiosk
Want to know more about touch screen kiosks?
What is a Touch Screen Kiosk?
A touch screen kiosk is very simply a kiosk or a computerised terminal, which has a touch screen. This is
where you can touch the screen to navigate the computer rather than to use a keyboard, mouse or tracker
ball.
How a Touch Screen Kiosk Works
Instead of having a keyboard or mouse, the software creates big buttons on the screen that the user presses to
move from one screen to the next. See the photo to see the large on screen buttons.
Kiosks4Business.com
Touchscreen Technologies
This article describes the types of touch screen technologies which are available.Most common touchscreens
are based on a sheet of glass covering the display where various technologies are applied to the glass to
arrive at the ability to select items on a display for further action. There are of course different attributes to
the different technologies used for each of the touchscreen types. The common types of touchscreen
technology are:- 4-wire resistive, 5-wire resistive, capacitive, pen touch capacitive, Surface wave acoustic,
near field imaging and Infra Red. Taking each one in turn their method of functioning and attributes are
below:
4-Wire Resistive Touchscreens4-Wire Resistive touch technology consists of a glass or acrylic panel that is
coated with electrically conductive and resistive layers. The thin layers are separated by invisible separator
dots. When operating, an electrical current moves through the screen. When pressure is applied to the screen
as in a touch the layers are pressed together, causing the resistance to change and therefore a change in the
electrical current. This then registers as a touch and gives its location. 4-Wire Resistive type touch screens
are generally the least costly but are generally less precise than other types. This type of touchscreen is
generally used in more consumer type products where the performance is less demanding.
5-wire Resistive Touchscreens5-Wire Resistive touch technology is constructed in a similar way to 4-wire
but is more accurate and more durable. 5-Wire Resistive type touch screens are generally more durable than
the similar 4-Wire Resistive type. This type of screen is generally found in demanding point-of-sale systems,
restaurant systems, industrial controls, and other workplace applications.
Surface Capacitive TouchscreensSurface Capacitive touch screens are made where the base glass is coated
with a capacitive (charge storing) material on its surface. Circuits located at corners of the screen measure
the capacitance of a person touching the screen. As a result of the overall capacitance of these circuits
changing when the screen is touched the oscillation frequency of the circuits change and can then determine
the X and Y coordinates of the touch event. Capacitive type touch screens are very durable, and have a high
clarity. They are used in a wide range of applications, from restaurant and POS use to industrial controls and
information kiosks. Their advantages are: image clarity, not affected by dirt, grease and moisture, only
works by be touched by a human finger and high touch resolution.
Projected Capacitance TouchscreensProjected Capacitance touchscreens operate on a slightly different basis
where two sets of conductive layers are etched on the glass screen such that a series of capacitors are
produced. A human finger as it touches or gets near these capacitors change their capacitance thereby
creating a touch event with X and Y coordinates. The fact that the screen capacitors change capacitance with
a finger near the screen means that the screen can be placed behind and armoured glass and still work as a
touchscreen - hence the name Projected Capacitance Touch. This type of screen is inherently more accurate
as well as being the main type used for vandal proof systems.
Infra Red TouchscreensInfra Red touchscreens are not so common and use an array of IR light emitting
diodes on two adjacent bezel edges of a display with photo sensors on the opposite sides of the display to
analyse the system and determine a touch event. The LED and photosensor pairs create a grid of light beams
across the display. An object (such as a finger or pen) that touches the screen interrupts the light beams,
causing a measured decrease in light at the corresponding photosensors. The measured photosensor outputs
can be used to locate a touch-point coordinate.
Widespread adoption of infrared touchscreens has been hampered by two factors: the relatively high cost of
the technology compared to competing touch technologies and the issue of performance in bright ambient
light. However, one feature of infrared touch remains desirable and represents attributes of the ideal
touchscreen which is to eliminate the glass or plastic overlay that most other touch technologies require in
front of the display. In many cases, this overlay is coated with an electrically conducting transparent
material which reduces the optical quality of the display.
The above systems form the bulk of the touch screen technologies in use at the present time and are
generally widely available. The various technologies have different attributes and are used in different
applications. Some much more costly than others but are needed in certain environments. Nearly all are easy
to incorporate into systems and set up after manufacture. At Kiosks4business most of the requirements we
see are for 5-wireresistive and projected capacitance type screens.
Touchscreen Technologies
Why Touchscreens are Ideal for Kiosks
Kiosks are information points that are often in the public sphere and because of this they have to be durable
and withstand high traffic usage. Because the general public includes everyone, kiosks have to be very user
friendly and easy to use, so that the computer novice can access the information as easily as a computer
whiz kid, and this is why touch screens are perfect for using with Kiosks.
Due to the nature of flat screen kiosks, the interactive 'buttons' on the screen are virtual buttons rather than
using a physical keyboard. The software running on the kiosk recognises parts of the screen as buttons that
activate other functionality. The screen can contain as many buttons as needs be, all of, which are flat.
Because there are no mechanical keys to press, it means that there is less hardware on the machine that
could get damaged during day to day use or misuse. Therefore flat screen kiosks save money because they
have fewer mechanical inputs which could be vandalised or misused.
The lack of keyboard on a flat screen kiosk means that the machine is more streamlined than other kiosks.
Great if you want a kiosk on the wall or if you don't much have floor space to accommodate a bulky, free
standing counterpart.
Should you find at a later date that you require an additional button on your application, with a flat screen
kiosk the software can fairly easily be change to incorporate more buttons. This would not be possible if the
hardware restricted the number of buttons available, and you probably have to replace the unit with a kiosk
which offered you more buttons or more flexibility.
When touch screen kiosk software is developed, it is designed in a simple way that doesn't assume that the
user has any experience of computer technology. Touch screen buttons are big and bold and clearly says
what will happen if the user presses the button. Screens are kept uncluttered with minimal text as so to keep
the using of the machine at its very simplest. Additionally the screen includes signposts and prompts to help
the novice user navigate their way around the information and to access the areas which are of most interest
to them.
Because a touch screen kiosk requires less hardware, they can be made in a portable form, ideal for taking to
groups, clubs or meetings. The portable kiosk can contain all of the same software as a full sized kiosk, but
it has the advantage of mobility, so it can be taken to the users.
Touch screen devices are becoming a familiar site in everyday life now with mobile phones adopting touch
screens and touch screen EPOS systems now available in many supermarkets for customers to use.
There is, however, a limit to how easy a touchscreen button system using on-screen keyboard will be
compared with having a real physical keyboard. For people with sight difficulties specialist physical
keyboards are available with brail lettering on the keys. While some work can be done with contrasting
colours and large buttons on the screen, for some, a physical keyboard remains the only practical option.
At the time of writing this article new technologies are being seen on the market whereby a user can interact
with the kiosk simply by arm or hand gestures and one would presume it only a matter of time before this
technology will be seen on touch screen kiosks too.
A Guide to Touchscreen Monitors for Touchscreen Kiosks
Touchscreen technology is the new rage of technology. It is not only limited to smartphones and tablets,
rather it slowly creeping into all areas of business and society. The Touchscreen technology is relatively
new, but it's evolving and it has great potential. More and more Touchscreen Monitors are used in an 'All in
One PC's', which combine the Touchscreen Monitor and the motherboard , CPU and Hard Drive into one
entity, these machines are known as Touchscreen Kiosks.
Touchscreen monitors are the future of interaction between people and computers. This technology works
by touching or sliding your fingers over the computer screen. One touch has the same result as a left mouse
click on the same spot where you've touched the screen. Touchscreen technology goes one step further so
that you can use multiple touches or slides to execute a specific command (known as multi-touch).
When most people think of touchscreen monitors, they think of integrated touchscreen monitors like you see
in food service, retail settings and other commercial applications. Because integrated touchscreen monitors
are so expensive, they're used primarily in commercial settings where price is less of an issue, and of course
large supermarket chains can afford to buy touchscreen retail kiosks in large numbers which bring the cost
down.
For individual consumers there are a number of advantages to touchscreen monitors. For anyone with
limited motor movements, computers become much more accessible with a touch screen as the larger
movements across a 20-22 inch screen with the hand is often more easily made than the finer movements
required for manipulating a mouse. Navigation is also more intuitive in general. With a touchscreen kiosk,
you literally touch the screen to make selections. Gone are the days of moving a mouse around until the
arrow points to your selection and then clicking it; you can touch your selection on the screen to choose or
activate it.
Good touchscreen monitors will be responsive to your touch but won't misinterpret a small brush against the
screen as a touch. Putting hands on a monitor before buying is always best. But when this isn't possible,
reading current user reviews can be a good substitute.
A screen with high resolution and good contrast will provide a better visual experience. Some touchscreen
monitors now offer full 1920x1080 HD resolution and contrast ratios such as 50,000:1 and even 100,000:1
for better clarity.
Touchscreen monitors are ideal for touchscreen kiosks because the multi-purpose screen allows designers of
bespoke kiosk designs more of a free hand in design. Having to only integrate one necessity into the design,
instead of having to design in a keyboard and tracker ball means that the finished kiosk has a sleeker and
more 'designed' feel to it. Of course having more 'white space' is also ideal for branding and advertisements.
How We Interact With Kiosks
A kiosk is a computerised machine that performs a service for us upon request. Most kiosks typically feature
a touchscreen so that the user does not have to use a keyboard. This also removes the necessity for the user
to be familiar with computers.
The general public is so used to 'Kiosks' now in their day to day lives, with the new generation being
brought up closely with computers and the Internet, they have no reservations about using and giving
information to kiosks, and they know, and are keen to interact with, kiosks when they need a quick and
efficient service.
Older service providing kiosks, such as the ATM machines or more commonly known as 'the hole in the
wall' machines have a series of buttons to press to fulfil the interaction. Classically the screen asks a
question and places a written option corresponding next to a button, and the user simply presses a button to
provide the correct data to the kiosk.
You may have seen other kiosks with newer technology with a keyboard and a trackball, which behaves like
a mouse to move the cursor around the screen. These types of kiosks are typically seen on information point
Kiosks, Business card printing kiosks and town centre Internet access point kiosks. These kiosks are very
user friendly because they work in a very similar way to a home computer with a 'querty' keyboard and
mouse the users instantly know how to use them. Due to these machines being open to the public, they had
to be developed to be vandal proof as well as being weatherproof.
Kiosks can be fitted with motion sensors to detect when a person is standing in front of the kiosk. More
complex motion sensors are able to detect which direction the user has arrived at the kiosk and can therefore
display content appropriate - e.g. for those leaving a store or entering a store. The motion detector means
that a flash attract loop can be used as a digital sign while there is no one at the kiosk and the kiosk can
instantly switch to a user mode when someone approaches the kiosk.
Kiosks in the public domain are becoming more sophisticated, however there has been a considerable gap
between the first ATM machines being installed and the supermarket giants picking up the ball and running
with it. Is this because they simply hadn't seen the benefits of kiosks, or were they waiting until they thought
that kiosks in supermarkets would be widely accepted by their customers?
Supermarket checkout kiosks are sophisticated because they have multiple functionality - they have a touch
screen, weighing scales, and an infrared scanner reading bar codes. However despite the complexities of the
kiosk itself, the supermarkets and users alike have embraced the machine and touch screens have become
common place in the supermarkets.
Kiosks are being used by local councils for delivering a range of public services, providing access to
information and bill payments and enabling customer services departments to concentrate on more complex
issues with their residents. Kiosks are appearing in Schools, Colleges and University's to provide access to
information and support for housing, jobs, training and education opportunities.
What future interaction developments do kiosks have in the pipeline? During the tail end of 2010 the X-box
propose to launch a new gaming machine in response to rival Nintendo WII. The new X-Box console will
work in a similar way to the Wii so that your body movements are used to interact with the console,
however the New X-box will not rely on hand held 'controllers' the machine will instead 'see' your
movements. Kiosk technology will surely be heading down this route as a mean of communicating with
their technology.
With whole body sensing technology users will be able to interact with kiosks without a need to physically
touch the screen. Moving between content can just be a matter of waving your hand in front of the screen.
Whatever new technologies emerge for kiosks the main point is whether these technologies make it easier to
interact with information. Keep an eye out for other future technologies being applied to kiosks.
Touchscreen - Technology at your Fingertips Why is Touchscreen Technology So Revolutionary
Touchscreen monitors have become more and more commonplace as their price has steadily dropped over
the past decade. A touchscreen is just so much easier to use than buttons and switches are, and it's also a lot
more fun to use. That's one of the reasons the touchscreen kiosk is so popular.
A touchscreen is an electronic visual display that can detect the presence and location of a touch within the
display area. The term generally refers to touching the display of the device with a finger or hand.
Touchscreens can also sense other passive objects, such as a stylus. Touchscreens are common in devices
such as all-in-one computers, tablet computers, and smartphones and touchscreens are also used in kiosks.
Using the touchscreen kiosk is a very refreshing experience. The touchscreen really revolutionizes the way
you navigate around your device and makes the experience not only faster, but much more fun. Browsing
through information is a smooth experience. Touch screen is very responsive, as it is capacitive instead of
resistive. Scrolling is very fast and navigation is very easy. The touchscreen lets you have more control over
the experience with the swipe gestures.
By supporting multi-touch technology, a touchscreen kiosk opens up a new world of possibilities. Some
multi-touch gestures mimic ones you're already familiar with. A double click, for example, becomes a
double tap on the screen. And with more and more people owning personal touchscreens such as the Ipad
and the Blackberry Playbook, we are all learning to use and interact with touchscreens without even
realizing it.
But the whole point of a touchscreen is that touchscreen kiosks are a device by which we give inputs and
take outputs as information without using any other external device; or in laymen's terms - Instead of using a
keyboard, mouse or tracker ball. This is of course advantageous because when you design a machine for the
public to use, the fewer moving parts it has, they less damage can be done to it.
Touchscreens are popular in heavy industry and in other situations, such as museum displays or room
automation, where keyboard and mouse systems do not allow a satisfactory, intuitive, rapid, or accurate
interaction by the user with the display's content.
Someday, the touchscreen interface will replace buttons on all electronic devices. Devices with buttons are
limited in their ability to be adapted to specific applications. Devices with touch screens have applications
that are able to be programmed to perform in many different configurations.
The touchscreen kiosk is more than just a control panel and preview screen. It's also a creative tool and
business solution that can help your office run more smoothly, to display information more effectively and
to increase sales whilst maintaining at high level of customer service.
Selecting the Right Touch Screen Monitor
Touch screen monitors are becoming increasingly popular in museums, heritage centres, visitor attractions
and many other locations. This article describes some of the features of touch screen monitors to aid the
selection of an appropriate device.
Unlike LCD TV screens the touch-screen monitor does not include any video decode circuitry associated
with decoding satellite or terrestrial TV signals. LCD monitors do not include an arial input though analogue
monitors will include composite or YUV input signals.
Industrial touch screen monitors are also designed to have a long lifetime of product availability.
Panel Sizes and Screen Resolutions
The monitor panels themselves are designed for industrial and commercial use but would not normally be
used for home use. While home LCD TV screens tend to be centred on 22in, 32in or 42in sizes, industrial
LCD monitors are available in a wide range of sizes and resolutions. The LCD monitors including
touchscreens are typically available in sizes from around 4in up to 104 where very large screens are
required. In smaller sizes expect resolutions to be of the order of 320x240 (QVGA) pixels. At 10 inches
upwards panels are available with 800x600 (SVGA), 1024 x 768 (XGA) and 1280x1024 pixels (SXGA).
High definition panels are also available from around 24in upwards as are wide screen formats.
Aspect Ratio
The aspect ratio of a screen is a ratio of its width to height. Historically, TV sets were designed with a an
aspect ratio of 4:3. More recently, with the advent of high-definition television, screens are now
manufactured in widescreen 16:9 formats. True widescreen formats are available with resolutions of 1024 x
576, 1152 x 648, 1280 x 720, 1600 x 900 and 1920 x 1080 pixels.
Screen Brightness and Contrast Ratio
The brightness of a LCD monitor is also known as luminance, measured in candela per metre squared. A
typical computer monitor will have a luminance around 300cd/m2. Industrial touch screen monitors are
designed with higher brightness levels for use in signage applications. Also, by adding a touchscreen to the
monitor, the luminance levels can be reduced by 10% or more. When looking at technical data for
luminance levels of screens you may also see a screen as having a brightness of 400nits which is the same as
400cd/m2.
Contrast ratio is a ratio of the luminance of the brightest colour (white) displayed on the screen against the
darkest (black) displayed.
Input signals
Digital touch screen monitors normally come with VGA and DVI inputs as standard and with the option to
include one or more HDMI interface inputs.
Output signals
With an HDMI input to the touchscreen monitor the video and audio is provided via the HDMI link. The
monitor may have speakers integrated into the housing but there are times where you may want to drive
additional speakers external to the monitor or to provide a headphone output for your users.
Chassis Styles
LCD monitors are designed for industrial applications and as such come in a variety of chassis options. Most
of the chassis options also include VESA-75/100/200 style holes for mounting to a standard off-the-shelf
LCD bracket.
Rack mount touch screen LCD monitors are designed with mounting holes and a front panel such that they
can be fitted into a 19in or 23in rack, with other sizes also available. The rack mount LCD monitor is
offered up to the front of the rack and slotted in place.
Chassis mount touch screen monitors are fully enclosed and can be used as stand-alone displays. This style
of monitor is often used for digital signage applications. Chassis mount monitors can also be fitted to be
flush with a bezel formed from a studded wall or other flat surface.
Open-frame touch screen monitors are designed to be mounted behind another piece of equipment or wall
such that the screen is seen behind the wall. The open frame monitor has many mounting holes on each side
for mechanical connection with a supporting face.
Panel mounted monitors are similar to the rack mount monitors as they are mounted into a hole. The panel
monitors have a bezel as part of the chassis design so as to provide an attractive surround to the screen when
fitted into a wall or other flat surface.
Driving multiple monitors
Whether your monitor uses VGA, DVI or HDMI inputs there is a range of digital video distribution devices
available on the market. The distribution boxes take one (or more) inputs and provide 2 or more outputs
which are in sync with each other. Distribution boxes are a solution where you need several monitors to all
display the same synchronised content at various locations.
Touch Screen Technologies
Smaller panels are available with a wide choice of touchscreen technologies including resistive, surface
capacitive, SAW and infrared available for very large screens. Thru-glass projected capacitive touch screens
can be used for applications in retail where a user can use the monitor inside the shop while standing outside
the shop window.
Other things to consider
Touchscreen monitors designed for industrial applications are also available with other options not normally
available on computer monitors. Proximity detectors to turn the screen on, privacy filters and Transflective
displays for outdoor use in bright sunshine are just some of the many options available when using industrial
touch screen monitors.
Strathmore Kiosk
The Strathmore kiosk is a free sanding touch screen kiosk which can be built with or without a keyboard.
Designed for high volume applications where transient users want to access information quickly without
necessarily stopping for too long. the Strathmore kiosk has an elegant soft form finished in polished steel.
Ideal in your state-of-the-art venue, it will complement your environment perfectly.
The optional vandal resistant keyboard is liquid and dust proof so no problem with those minor spills or
food debris - just wipe clean again. The touchscreen makes interfacing with the kiosk as simple as it can be.
Our popular wireless option lets you decide where you want your Strathmore kiosk, keeping you in charge
of the style right to the end. The free-standing Strathmore Kiosk can be branded with your logo or company
details on its front face
The Strathmore kiosk is available with or without a keyboard and can incorporate our innovative VoIP
telephone handset.
Strathmore Kiosk Features:
15" or 17" standard LCD display
5 wire resistive touchscreen - other technologies available
optional Integrated stereo speakers
Internal Silent Fanless Intel ATOM PC or
Intel Core 2 Duo, others processors available
80GB Hard drive
Robust Rolled steel powder coated construction
Strathmore Kiosk Options
IP65 rugged keyboard and trackerball
Stereo speakers
Telephone Handset
Applications
Hospitals, Doctors and the NHS
Council Services
Sure Start Centres
Hotels and leisure
Tell me more..
If you would like more information about the Strathmore Kiosk then please call us today on 0845 451 2020.
Touchscreen Facts and Information
Touchscreens are screens that are connected to computers, and the screen is used to operate the computer
software. A Touchscreen is a screen that you touch to move yourself through different screens of computer
software or web browsers.
Touchscreens offer a way of designing a computer or kiosk without any of the usual clumsy furniture that a
computer usually has - the keyboard and mouse. Touchscreens have taken the place of keyboards, the mouse
and trackerballs on some computerised devices such as PC tables and Touchscreen kiosks.
A touchscreen does not need a keyboard or a mouse to navigate; this is because the users finger becomes the
navigation tool. If a keyboard is needed so that the user can type in data, the touchscreen software can
simply show a keyboard on the touchscreen itself.
Touchscreens enables kiosk designers to create stylish and beautiful looking kiosks, because they have less
components to take into consideration, so they can focus on the overall finished look of the kiosks and how
the touchscreen fits into the kiosk. A touchscreen gives the finished kiosk a sleeker and more modern look.
A touchscreen provides all the functionality of a traditional type computer at the touch of your finger rather
than at the touch of a button.
A thouchscreen has revolutionised the way we can design kiosks, removing the need for unattractive
buttons, leaving us with clean and sleek designs with a much more modern and contemporary designs.
myPod Touchscreen Kiosk
myPod Kiosk has been designed for use with Virtual Reception and works equally well in many other
customer interaction applications.
The myPoint kiosk has a unique aesthetic which is ideally suited to high profile locations, such as company
receptions or hotel lobbies, where first impressions are of great importance.
myPoint is a versitile unit and can be used for a number of different applications such as an information
point, automatic check-in or as interactive advertising.
The unit can be customised to meet your specific needs. An engraving service where your company name or
logo is etched into the polycarbonate or aluminium front of the unit is available. Optional soft LED edge
lighting can stylishly highlight the unit if required.
The myPod kiosk has been desined with branding in mind, with a choice of Vinyl labels, Digital Print or
Screen Print.
Specifications:
Atom PC N270 1.6GHz CPU
Intel 945GE chipset with GMA950 graphics, GB LAN, USB
1GB DDR2 RAM
80GB Hard Disk
22" LCD TFT
Touchscreen
Easy access USB port
Optional Housed 2.5watt speaker
Optional Microphone
Kiosks4Business
Who are Kiosks4Business?
As an operating division of Sequoia Technology Limited, a small to medium sized business based in
Reading, kiosks4business was created to public access computing solutions for local authorities and public
organisations. We have built and installed Parent Information Point systems in more than 15 councils across
the UK and hundreds of other systems into automotive dealerships and other applications.
References
Our products are installed in many councils including: Bournemouth, Cumbria, Flintshire, Kirklees,
Wrexham, Oldham and many others. Many are keen to act as referees of our products and services, and we'll
happily put you in touch with them if you require this.
What next?
If you would like to find out more about how kiosks4business systems can help you deliver your services
then please call us today on 0845 451 2020 or visit our website - www.Kiosks4Business.com
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