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Zytronic touch sensors deploy in UK's Tyneside Metro ticketing system

July 5, 2013

Zytronic has announced that its ZYTOUCH touch sensor is being used to provide the user interface for automated ticketing solutions developed as part of a £25 million modernization project across the U.K.'s Tyneside region.

The project will replace over 200 ticket machines at 60 Metro stations with new, more sophisticated versions that boast advanced functionality, according to the announcement. The new machines are capable of accepting credit, debit card and smartcard payment as well as cash, with support for six different languages.

Scheidt & Bachmann, a manufacturer of fare collection systems for public transit operations, selected the ZYTOUCH sensors as the best candidate because of their reliable touch performance irrespective of weather conditions, bespoke construction and highly rugged construction, Zytronic said.

"We have been working with Zytronic for a considerable time now and are fully aware of the many favorable attributes that PCT possesses," said Matthias Augustyniak, managing director, Scheidt & Bachmann. "The touchscreen technologies that we used in previous machine designs, such as surface acoustic wave, could not offer the high degree of robustness. This meant units could be subject to downtime, while repairs were carried out."

The Zytouch PCT sensing mechanism consists of a matrix of 10 micron copper capacitors embedded into a multilayer laminated glass sensor substrate. The sensors can be further enhanced and customized with options such as privacy filters and infra-red blocking layers, to help protect user personal information, and outdoor system thermal management, the company said.

"The sensor mechanism for these machines needed to be completely suited to outdoor deployment. It had to be resistant to vandalism and unaffected by rain, snow and other harsh weather conditions," said Ian Crosby, sales and marketing director for Zytronic. "The ZYTOUCH sensor's extreme resistance to accidental or deliberate damage, as well as uncompromised touch performance irrespective of environmental conditions, ensures reliable, long term operation, improving the passenger experience."

Read more about interactive touchscreen technology.