Multi-Touch Operator Panels: Hype vs. Reality

While Apple didn't invent multi-touch technology, the Apple iPhone, introduced in 2007, certainly went a long way toward popularizing the technology. "Multi-touch," is the ability for a touchscreen display to sense input from two or more points of contact simultaneously, which enables users to interact with the device using relative complex finger gestures such as pinching the screen to zoom in, spreading the screen to zoom out, plus wiping, rotating, and other "man-machine" interactions.

While still a new technology in industrial automation, multi-touch opera-tor panels have begun to gain significant traction, largely due to the inherent "fun factor" and the desire for operator panel suppliers and ma-chine builders to differentiate their offerings. In fact, recent ARC Advisory Group research indicates that multi-touch operator panels are poised to enjoy double-digit growth in the coming years. However, as with all new technologies – particularly with many of the technologies that have their origins in the commercial product field – there are both benefits and drawbacks to multi-touch operator panels that require careful consideration.

This report aims to try to separate the increasing hype over this new (for the industrial world) technology from the reality for end users and sup-pliers alike. The report includes some preliminary results from a current ARC online survey, in which readers are invited to participate.

ARC Advisory Group clients can view the complete report at this Link.

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Keywords: Operator Panels, Multi-Touch, Industrie 4.0, IIoT, Capacitive Touch, Resistive Touch, ARC Advisory Group.