There are many different technologies that power touchscreens. Some touchscreens are powered by capacitive technology, whereas others are powered by resistive touchscreen. A lesser-known touchscreen technology, however, is infrared (IR) grid. To learn more about IR grid touchscreens and how they work, keep reading.
#1) Uses LEDs and Sensors
IR grid touchscreens rely on light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and sensors to detect touch commands. They are designed with LEDs and sensors around the edges of the display interface. During operation, the LEDs beam light to the corresponding sensors on the opposite side. Any touch commands will disrupt the light in that area of the display interface, thus allowing the IR grid touchscreen to detect the touch command.
#2) Extremely Durable
One of the main benefits of IR grid touchscreens is durability. They are more durable than many other touchscreens. This is because IR grid touchscreens don’t require patterning on the display interface. Therefore, they can be used outdoors and in other harsh environments without suffering from premature wear and tear.
#3) Works With Gloves
You can control an IR grid touchscreen with a bare finger or with a gloved finger. Capacitive touchscreens, on the other hand, typically only support the former method of control. You can’t perform touch commands on a capacitive touchscreen while wearing gloves. Rather, you’ll need to use a bare finger so that your finger will absorb some of the device’s electrostatic field. Fortunately, this isn’t a concern with IR grid touchscreens. IR grid touchscreens work with any type of object, including a stylus, a gloved finger or a bare finger.
#4) Excellent Image Clarity
Another benefit of IR grid touchscreens is excellent image clarity. They produce crystal-clear images that are oftentimes superior to those produced by other touchscreens. You can find other touchscreens with high-quality and clear images. In terms of overall image clarity, though, few compare to IR grid touchscreens.
#5) Require Backlighting
All touchscreens require backlighting — and IR grid touchscreens are no exception. Touchscreens feature a display technology, such as liquid-crystal display (LCD). Regardless of the specific display technology, though, backlighting is needed to illuminate the pixels. IR grid touchscreens typically use LCD display technology. LCD display technology, of course, supports several types of backlighting, some of which include LED, cold-cathode fluorescent (CCFL) and light guides. Backlighting is essentially a lighting system that’s responsible for illuminating the pixels in a display device.
