The Evolution of Touch Interfaces.

What is the Computer Interface?

The computer Interface is like a “tool” and “Concept” that refers to a point of interaction between components. It is applicable at the level of both hardware and software.

What are the computer interfaces?

         

1.         Physical Interfaces.
2.        Text-user Interfaces.
3.        Graphical-user Interfaces.
4.         Web Interfaces.
5.        Touch Interfaces.
6.        Natural user Interfaces.  

The Evolution of Touch Interfaces.

What is the Touch user Interface?

A Touch user interface is a computer-pointing technology based upon sense of touch.

History of Touch Interfaces.

In 1954 Hugh Le Caine demonstrating the prototype of the ''Touch Sensitive Organ'' Le Caine began work on this instrument between 1952 and 1954 at his home studio. He brought the prototype organ to the National Research Council lab in 1954 and considerable development took place over the next year.

In 1971, a "touch sensor" was developed by Doctor Sam Hurst. He was an instructor at the University of Kentucky. This sensor called the "Elograph" was patented by The University of Kentucky Research Foundation. The "Elograph" was not transparent like modern touch screens, however, it was a significant milestone in touch screen technology and The Elograph was selected by Industrial Research as one of the 100 Most Significant New Technical Products of the Year 1973.

The first true touch screen incorporating a transparent surface came on the scene developed by Sam Hurst and Elographics. In 1977, Elographics developed and patented a resistive touch screen technology, the most popular touch screen technology in use today.

In 1977, Siemens Corporation financed an effort by Elographics to produce the first curved glass touch sensor interface, which became the first device to have the name "touch screen" attached to it. On February 24, 1994, the company officially changed its name from Elographics to Elo Touch Systems.

1979

3M patented surface capacitive technology

1981

Tactile Array Sensor for Robotics

1982

Elo Touch Systems invented the resistive touch sensing technology

Flexible Machine Interface, the first multi touch input system, was published (Mehta, Nimish, A Flexible Machine Interface, M.A.Sc. Thesis, Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Toronto, 1982)

1984

Bob Boie at Bell Labs invented the first multi touch screen

1985

Zenith patented the Surface Acoustic Touch Panel System

Input Research Group at University of Toronto developed multi-touch tablet

1987

Elo Touch Systems puchased SAW technology from Zenith

1990

Nissha developed the FineTouch touch panel

1993

Apple’s Original Newton Message Pad H1000 was introduced

1995

MicroTouch launched the first projected capacitive touch sensor

1996

Palm introduced Palm Pilot 1000, the first commercially successful PDA with the resistive touch screen

2000

3M acquired MicroTouch

2001

Zytronic developed ZyTouch projected capacitive touch sensor and applied it to the first Tablet PC prototype

Microsoft demonstrated the first public prototype of Tablet PC

MERL developed Diamond Touch multitouch system using projected capacitive touch technology

2002

Sony published a paper about SmartSkin multitouch system. SmartSkin adopted mutual capacitive sensing that is also used in iPhone.

2003

Next Window and Smart Technologies started producing optical touch panels

Finger Works developed input peripherals based on the multi touch technology

2004

Nintendo launched Nintendo DS, a handheld gaming device with dual screen and a touch display

2005

TMD start mass production of touch-embedded TFT using optical sensors

Jeff Han demonstrated the first FTIR multi touch

2007

Apple unveiled iPhone

AUO demonstrated in-cell touch panel technology at Yokohama FPD conference

Microsoft unveiled Microsoft Surface

2008

HP released multi touch Tablet PCs

2009

Dell launched a multi-touch all-in-one PCs

Touchco was founded

2010

Apple released iPad

Amazon acquired Touchco