Touch screen kiosks and their displays

When you purchase a touch screen kiosk, the user experience you provide is a top priority. You want to make the on-screen menus easy to navigate and allow the users to clearly view the kiosk's functionality. The types of touch screen and display you choose depends on your audience, how they plan to use the kiosk, and which technology best suits your application.

Touch screens
Touch screen kiosks allow users to enter information and navigate through menus without a keyboard or mouse. They can be used millions of times without losing performance. However, the environment and usage patterns will determine which type of touch screen is best for you.

Resistive touch screen kiosks are the most common, particularly for demanding point of sale applications, industrial spaces, and medical facilities. They can be operated with a finger, a gloved hand, or a stylus. Resistive touch screens are durable, dirt-resistant, and provide high touch resolution, but the clarity of the display is low and sharp objects can harm the sensitive screen.

For the public information sector and high traffic businesses, surface acoustic wave (SAW) technology might be best. SAW displays offer high picture clarity and resolution, but the screen isn't sealed, so it is subject to damage from moisture and debris. Capacitive screens are durable, high clarity solutions for industrial businesses and restaurants — they feature a tight seal to keep dirt out. They're moderately priced but you can only activate them with your fingertips, which could hinder users wearing gloves.

Finally, infrared touch screen kiosks can handle the dusty and harsh conditions of warehouses and factories, included gloved users, but are difficult to view in direct sunlight and may be sensitive to motion and false touch.

Kiosk display
The type of display your touch screen kiosk features will also determine how clear and brilliant your presentation will be. You need to consider many factors including cost, size, durability, and availability when choosing a display screen.

Liquid crystal display (LCD) screens are the industry standard for most touch screen kiosks and modern computer monitors because of their thin form factor and high quality. This technology can also run with limited problems after several years of intense use. Although the price has dropped over the years, LCD screens can still be pricy, particularly for larger, higher-quality models.

At the high end, plasma displays offer accurate picture with almost 16 million different colors. Businesses may appreciate the eye-catching technology for advertising or promotions, but the high cost is a deterrent. Also, plasma tends to heat up quickly and is susceptible to screen burn-in.

The low-cost alternative for touch screen kiosk displays is cathode ray tubes (CRT), which were the standard for TVs and PC monitors until recently. CRTs are not viable for most kiosks because they're bulky and don't have a very long lifespan.