Blog

Most people use a keyboard once during the day, with little attention on how clean the surface is. Keyboard hygiene is just as important as hand hygiene, as like our hands, keyboards can easily transfer germs. Then, why is keyboard cleaning often forgotten?

Whilst designing a touchscreen, you must decide what type of touch technology will be suitable for the application. When it comes to a choice between capacitive and resistive technology, both have pros and cons.

User interfaces for public terminals have evolved over the years moving from membrane and rubber keypads to sleek touchscreens, that use capacitive touch technology.

Ideal for use in food and beverage manufacturing environments, ioniTOUCH™ waterproof keyboards help users maintain cleanliness on a frequently touched surface.

Membrane Switches use an adhesive layer to mount the switch panel to the application.

Ingress Protection ratings, also known as IP ratings, define the sealing effectiveness of any component or product against the ingress of foreign objects such as dust and water.

A rubber keypad surface can include various finishes to help improve life performance, enhancing strength amongst other things.

The ability to incorporate multiple design elements into membrane keypads enables them to be adapted for use in various external environments, across virtually every market sector. 

Easy Clean, fully washable keyboards can provide a higher level of infection protection in multi-user environments. 

Interface technologies for controlling smart home appliances must be robust, reliable and designed for easy user interaction.

ioniTOUCH keyboards are specifically designed for the healthcare sector, helping create a safer environment for staff and patients. 

Membrane panels are touched multiple times throughout the day by numerous people. Using a graphic overlay containing antimicrobial additives can help reduce the chance of bacteria spreading. This blog explains how designers can introduce an antimicrobial feature to a membrane panel.

Simpler integration of capacitive touch technology in a wide range of harsh operating environments has made it a common choice for many designers. Now capable of gloved hand operation, capacitive touch has changed workplace interaction with machines and computers.

Light Guide Film (LGF) enables engineers to create high impact custom lit panels at a low cost. Developments within the construction of backlighting have enabled LGF to become the perfect solution for backlighting needs.

Case study July 2019 – PORTABLE EVAPORATIVE AIR COOLER. A recent consumer product we worked on was a portable “evaporative” air cooler, designed for the Caravan/Motorhome market.  The unit required a 5 key Rubber keypad to switch on the unit and control the output.

Most users of electronic products with Silicone rubber keypads as their main interface, will have seen examples of key legends being worn away due to key use. This blog post looks at the options available for customers who want to maximise the field life of their keypad.