Zytronic, the Newcastle capacitive touch specialist,  can now work with customers to design and manufacture projected capacitive user interfaces that combine a “traditional” dynamic touch area with surrounding capacitive keys.

Named ZyBrid VK, and based upon Zytronic’s multi-touch capable, projected capacitive technology (MPCT,  this latest development opens opportunities to improve and enhance the design of human interface devices (HID) for a wide range of applications that prove challenging to conventional approaches.

While touchscreens provide an intuitive and flexible interface, incorporating a large display into a control panel can addsignificant cost and weight compared to conventional mechanical controls, whilst alsoincreasing the unit’s power consumption, none of which is desirable.

Zytronic’s ZyBrid VK solution allows a touch display of an appropriately small size to be paired with non-mechanical printed and fixed keys in the same glass surface. This approach has the added benefit of creating a seamless, completely sealable user interface, with no holes or gaps to trap dirt or allow liquid ingress.

Zytronic’s patented projected capacitive touch technology will detect multiple simultaneous fingers, conductive styli and even gloved or dirty hands, through glass thicknesses of 10mm or more. In doing so, it ignores raindrops, leaves, dirt, ice and other debris that can ‘fool’ other touch solutions. As a result, ZyBrid® VK is suited to use both indoors and outdoors.

The ZyBrid VK solution consists of a customised glass ZyBrid touch sensor combined with a Zytronic ZXY500 multi-touch controller that supports up to 100 independent touch points and rapid touch detection. With its ownership of both the touchscreen manufacture and touch controller design and algorithm development, Zytronic has developed special firmware for the controller so that a dynamic touch sensing area can be defined alongside fixed key positions and even a “touch-pad”.

Working closely with customers, the touch interface is designed, glass is cut, printed and thermally toughened in-house, and then Zytronic’s electronics engineers customisethe firmware per the client request, defining the key function and output protocol.

The ZyBrid VK user interface design possibilities are literally limitless, with the technology being able to combine touchscreens of any aspect ratio, together with full keyboards, keypads, and other frequently used buttons, such as shortcuts to calculators, internet browsers, maps or anything else that is needed.

The Zytronic ZyBrid VK solution is suited to a wide range of applications, even ones that may be subjected to vibration, shock and dirt from the operator’s hands.

Other areas that benefit from the sealed nature of the seamless, glass-to-glass edgeddesign is food processing and medical industries where hygienic design is of primary importance.

The flat surface with noembedded mechanical switches or crevicescan be quickly and effectively cleaned, and the inert glass surface is relatively immune toharsh chemicals.

Zytronic can manufacture ZyBrid® VKtouch sensors in almost any size and specification.

Depending upon the application, glass enhancements such as anti-reflective, anti-glare and privacy filters can be added to the touchscreen.

Customers are also able to specify a flat or curved touchscreen design and other customisations such as specialedge profiling, cut outs and holes, can be added.

To help guide user’s fingertips around the sensor when their eyes are diverted from the screen, surface features, such as dimples, grooves and raised markings, can be added.

Furthermore, customer brandingcan be reinforced through the addition of screen-printed logos and borders that can be produced in almost any colour.