Resistive touchscreens are a popular choice for commercial applications. While consumers often prefer capacitive touchscreens, many business owners and workers prefer resistive touchscreens. Both types of touchscreens support touch commands. You can control them by tapping your finger on the display interface. Resistive touchscreens, however, feature a unique design that distinguishes them from their capacitive counterparts. What are the mechanics of resistive touchscreens, and how do they work exactly?
An Introduction to Resistive Touchscreens
Touchscreens are considered resistive if they use two layers of electrically resistive material to detect touch commands. They aren’t the same as capacitive touchscreens. Capacitive touchscreens receive their namesake from their use of capacitance to detect touch commands. While they are often designed with multiple layers as well, they specifically use capacitance to detect touch commands. Resistive touchscreens are different in the sense that they don’t use capacitance. Rather, they use two layers of an electrically resistive material to detect touch commands.
The Basic Mechanics of Resistive Touchscreens
Now that you know the definition of resistive touchscreens, you might be wondering how they work. As previously mentioned, resistive touchscreens consist of two layers. The two layers are separated by air. Each of the two layers also features electrodes, which can be pattered in either a matrix or analog format. When you touch the display interface, you’ll simultaneously press the top layer into the bottom layer. Therefore, the electrodes in the area of your touch command will make contact with each other, thereby allowing the resistive touchscreen to identify the location of your touch command.
Why Resistive Touchscreens Are Preferred By Businesses
While both capacitive and resistive touchscreens are used in commercial applications, many businesses prefer the latter type. There are a few reasons why resistive touchscreens have become popular among businesses, one of which is their superior level of protection against moisture. They can withstand moisture — including airborne moisture like humidity — without sustaining damage.
Because they are more rugged and durable than capacitive touchscreens, resistive touchscreens are easy to clean. You can clean the display interface on a resistive touchscreen with a traditional screen cleaning product. Cleaning liquids won’t be able to seep into the resistive touchscreen. Rather, resistive touchscreens feature an enclosed design that protects them from water and other liquids.
Resistive touchscreens also support the use of a stylus. You aren’t limited to controlling them with a bare finger. Since they don’t rely on capacitance to detect touch commands, resistive touchscreens can be controlled with any object, including a stylus.
