News

Zytronic providing touch functionality to gaming kiosks

November 28, 2011

Zytronic's ZYTOUCH sensor and accompanying XY controller to augment touch accuracy and responsiveness will now be implemented in Transcity lottery and wagering kiosks.

Transcity has specified a custom printed 17-inch version ZYTOUCH. Among Transcity's customers for the kiosks is Tabcorp, Australia's leading wagering, gaming and Keno operator. Tabcorp uses touch interactive displays in customer information and wagering terminals, and most recently, in its Keno lottery game, which is in clubs and hotels in New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria, according to a company press release.

The thick, laminated and screen-printed PCT sensors used by Transcity were specifically designed to be both rugged and attractive, said Geoff McDowell, managing director of Transcity.

"The gaming/wagering industry is seeing strong uptake of self serve terminals, with an increasing number of companies identifying this as a key revenue stream," McDowell said. "Many of the sector's major players engage with us on projects of this kind, so the quality of the component parts we specify must be beyond reproach."

The kiosks detect touch by picking up small capacitance changes in a micro-fine capacitor matrix embedded within a laminated substrate. This matrix is ordered into an XY grid subdividing the touchscreen into a sensing grid capable of detecting touch to high levels of accuracy, Ian Crosby, director of sales and marketing for Zytronic. "

Unaffected by dirt, dust and liquid spills, the sensor can also be placed behind a thick protective overlay (of glass or polycarbonate) to further enhance vandal and impact resistance, he said. With the sensing matrix safely embedded behind the overlaying material it is practically invulnerable to damage from external sources, unlike most conventional touchscreen technologies.

PCT sensors can also be designed to eliminate the need for including a bezel – an increasingly popular look in today's touchscreens, Crosby said.

"We looked at various touch sensing options, but found that all conventional sensors had fundamental weaknesses," McDowell said. "Zytronic's sensors were the only ones that could deliver the proven performance and longevity needed in a demanding public environment. This means we can offer full assurance to customers that the terminals' long term operation remains safe and secure regardless of the treatment they receive."

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