Touch Activation Force defines the minimum physical contact pressure or mechanical force required to register a valid touch event on an Elo touchscreen. Because Elo manufactures touch solutions spanning capacitive, resistive, surface acoustic wave, optical, and acoustic wave technologies, the required activation force ranges from zero force up to 4 ounces (113 grams) depending on the underlying sensing mechanism.
Touch Activation Force by Technology
| Touch Technology | Activation Force Specification | Activation Principle | Supported Input Methods |
|---|---|---|---|
| TouchPro® PCAP | 0 g (No minimum force required) | Electrostatic field disturbance | Bare finger, conductive stylus, thin surgical/latex gloves |
| AccuTouch® (5-Wire Resistive) | < 4 oz (< 113 g) typically | Mechanical contact bridging layers | Finger, heavy work glove, passive stylus, fingernail, pen cap |
| IntelliTouch® / iTouch® (SAW) | 2 to 3 oz (55 to 85 g) typically | Acoustic wave energy absorption | Bare finger, gloved hand (cloth, leather, rubber), soft stylus |
| SecureTouch® (Vandal-Resistant SAW) | 2 to 3 oz (55 to 85 g) typically | Acoustic wave absorption on tempered glass | Finger, gloved hand (cloth, leather, rubber) |
| CarrollTouch® (Infrared / IR) | 0 g (No minimum force required) | Infrared light beam obstruction | Any opaque object (finger, glove, stylus, wand) |
| Surface Capacitive | 0 g (No minimum force required) | Capacitive current discharge at corners | Bare finger, specialized capacitive stylus |
| Optical Touch | 0 g (No minimum force required) | Corner camera triangulation | Finger, gloved hand, stylus, pointer |
| Acoustic Pulse Recognition (APR) | 2 to 3 oz (55 to 85 g) typically | Sound wave signature detection | Finger, stylus, card, gloved hand (legacy technology) |
⚠️ Important Application Considerations:
- Projected Capacitive (TouchPro): Activation occurs prior to or immediately upon physical glass contact due to capacitive coupling. Thick industrial gloves or dielectric materials will require customized controller sensitivity tuning.
- Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW): Requires a soft or damping material (such as human tissue or soft elastomer) to absorb the surface acoustic energy. Hard plastic styli, metal pointers, or fingernails will not dampen acoustic waves sufficiently to trigger a coordinate report.
⛔ Critical Warning for Resistive Screens (AccuTouch):
Do not use sharp tools, metal scribes, screwdrivers, or ballpoint pens on AccuTouch screens. Localized pressure exceeding the recommended 4 oz (113 g) threshold can permanently stretch, puncture, or crease the flexible polyester coversheet, damaging the conductive ITO layer and causing dead zones.
Related Articles: How Elo Touch Technologies Work
- Where can I find information on how Elo's touch technologies work? (Master Hub)
- Where can I find information on how PCAP technology works?
- How does Elo's AccuTouch (Resistive) technology work?
- How does Elo's IntelliTouch / SecureTouch (SAW) Technology work?
- How does Infrared (IR / CarrollTouch) technology work?
- How does Surface Capacitive technology work?
- What is Optical Touch Technology?
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