Originally developed in the early 2000s, piezo touchscreens have become a popular alternative to traditional capacitive and resistive touchscreens. They are called “piezo” because they identify touch commands using the properties of piezoelectricity. If this is your first time hearing about pizeo touchscreens, keep reading to learn more about the technology and how it works.
The Touch-Sensing Mechanics of Piezo Touchscreens
Piezo touchscreens are characterized by their use of piezoelectric material, such as ceramics, that changes in size when exposed to voltage. As electricity flows through the piezoelectric material, it creates a small layer of air above the screen. What’s truly amazing, however, is that piezo toushcreens can alter both the shape and size of this inert layer of air to create tactile feedback.
Some people assume that piezo touchscreens use their own piezo-related method to detect and sense touch commands, but this isn’t necessarily true. As previously mentioned, piezo touchscreens are defined by their use of piezoelectric material, which can be used to create tactile feedback in some devices. But they still require some other method to detect touch commands. Some piezo touchscreens use capacitive technology to detect commands, with the device measuring the material’s voltage for changes.
Pros and Cons of Piezo Touchscreens
Piezo touchscreens offer an unparalleled level of strength and durability. With no moving parts, there’s little risk of internal damage, allowing you to get more use out of them.Depending on the specific type of piezo touchscreen, it may last for up to 50 million touches — sometimes even longer.
Piezo touchscreens are also resistant to humidity and moisture. This is important if the touchscreens are used outdoors or in other non-climate-controlled spaces.
You’ll also find piezo touchscreens available in a variety of designs. You can choose from an LCD, LED or VFD display, for example, as well as metal or plastic back panels. For the faceplate materials, you can choose from materials such as steel, aluminum, glass or plastic.
There aren’t many disadvantages to using piezo touchscreens over other types of touchscreens. If the devices identifies touch commands by measuring voltage, it may not work with a stylus. Other than that, though, you really can’t go wrong with piezo touchscreens.
In Conclusion
Piezo touchscreens offer a unique design in which electricity is applied to piezoelectric material, thus creating a layer of air. They are strong, durable, long lasting and resistant to moisture, making them a popular choice among businesses and consumers alike.
