Getac launches glove-friendly multi-touch

Author: Gareth Halfacree
Published: 8th October 2009
Comments (14) Stumble
Getac launches glove-friendly multi-touch

The new display technology from Getac allows for full multi-touch functionality even without direct skin contact.

Toucscreen specialist Getac claims to have perfected a capacitive-style multi-touch display which can be used without skin contact in the same way as an older resistive display - offering the best of both worlds.

As reported over on TechRadar, the displays - which will see their first outing in the company's V100 range of ruggedised tablet PCs - have full multi-touch capability including gesture support, but don't require contact with the user's bare skin.

The main reason for its development is for use in cold weather environments - one of the many places its customers are likely to take a ruggedised machine - so that the device can be fully operated without needing to remove gloves. Peter Molyneux, the company's business development director, described the screens as offering "touch screen technology and flick gestures [that] are faster, safer, and more convenient than using a keypad" in "some of the most extreme environments and weather conditions."

The technology offers up other possibilities beyond that of cold-weather computing: with the ability to operate a multi-touch display whilst wearing gloves, the company is likely to get interest from the medical community and sensitive manufacturing industry - both areas where protective clothing is a must but computing devices need to be operated.

The rugged version of the display included with the company's V100 tablet features a 2048x2048 resolution, 35ms touch response time, and a report rate of 100 points per second - which should translate into a responsive screen even in the harshest of conditions.

Does the idea of a multi-touch enabled display that works with gloves fill you with joy, or will the technology remain purely a novelty for specialist uses like rugged tablets? Share your thoughts over in the forums.
Quote Picarro 8th October 2009, 10:32
Great, so whenever I feel like taking my million dollar laptop with multitouch out into the snow. I can still operate it while it dies from cold and wet snow.
Quote Krikkit 8th October 2009, 10:34
The idea of a rugged laptop is that it's hardened against both the cold and damp. You could probably operate it under the polar ice cap without too much trouble.
Quote frojoe 8th October 2009, 11:16
edit: nevermind
Quote alpaca 8th October 2009, 12:09
those things are like tanks, everybody thinks they're cool, but nobody but the military has a use for them, and nobody can or will pay for them.
Quote dyzophoria 8th October 2009, 12:21
actually people in the industrial sector may have use for it, if the average joe doesnt need it , it does not necessarily mean that nobody but the military needs it.
Quote Picarro 8th October 2009, 12:40
the big question is "Will it run Crysis?"
Quote haakon.t 8th October 2009, 12:44
Quote:
Originally Posted by Article
Peter Molyneux, the company's business development director

Wait, THE Peter Molyneux? My guess is that this technology might not be as good as it's told to be..
Quote Sebbo 8th October 2009, 15:02
Quote:
Originally Posted by haakon.t
Quote:
Originally Posted by Article
Peter Molyneux, the company's business development director

Wait, THE Peter Molyneux?

my reaction too. i'm trying to work out if they're two different people, but so far i've only determined that both reside in the UK...
Quote Dave Lister 8th October 2009, 16:10
Quote:
Originally Posted by Picarro
the big question is "Will it run Crysis?"

At 2048x2048 doubt it ! not in a mobile platform, even a military based one. Actualy does 2048x2048 mean the screen is perfectly square ? thats going a bit backwards aint it ?
Quote HourBeforeDawn 8th October 2009, 19:54
awesome I would like to see this done with almost all touch screens, Im tired of finger prints and constantly cleaning the screen ><
Quote HourBeforeDawn 8th October 2009, 19:55
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave Lister
Quote:
Originally Posted by Picarro
the big question is "Will it run Crysis?"

At 2048x2048 doubt it ! not in a mobile platform, even a military based one. Actualy does 2048x2048 mean the screen is perfectly square ? thats going a bit backwards aint it ?

not for military use, they dont care about watching wide screen movies, they want square so that you have the most tatical data displayed for things like mapping.
Quote Cupboard 8th October 2009, 22:35
2048*2048 sounds like an awesome resolution. Thats a lot of web page for your money!
Quote DXR_13KE 8th October 2009, 23:14
Peter Molyneux?
Quote livesabitch 10th October 2009, 01:13
Quote:
Originally Posted by HourBeforeDawn
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave Lister
Quote:
Originally Posted by Picarro
the big question is "Will it run Crysis?"

At 2048x2048 doubt it ! not in a mobile platform, even a military based one. Actualy does 2048x2048 mean the screen is perfectly square ? thats going a bit backwards aint it ?

not for military use, they dont care about watching wide screen movies, they want square so that you have the most tatical data displayed for things like mapping.

totaly agree! +1
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