Researchers Develop Spray-On Touchscreen
Not all touchscreen devices use the same mechanism to detect, as well as respond to, touch commands. There are many different touchscreen technologies, each of which uses a different mechanism. Researchers, in fact, have even developed a type of spray-on touchscreen technology. How does a spray-on touchscreen work exactly?
About the Spray-On Touchscreens
Earlier this year, researchers from the University of Bristol developed a fully functional touchscreen device that can be sprayed onto a surface. Known as ProtoSpray, it supports most surfaces - including both flat and irregular surfaces. The product is sprayed onto a surface, at which point the newly created interface can be used to control a corresponding device via touch commands.
ProtoSpray works in conjunction with a 3D printer. It doesn't just a traditional 3D printer, though. Instead, it uses a special 3D printer that's been modified to spray the material. ProtoSpray essentially builds touchscreen devices by spraying material onto a surface. This material serves as the electronic components for the touchscreen device.
"We have liberated displays from their 2D rectangular casings by developing a process so people can build interactive objects of any shape. The process is very accessible: it allows end-users to create objects with conductive plastic and electroluminescent paint even if they don't have expertise in these materials," explained the study's lead author, Dr. Ollie Hanton, in a press release.
What's Next for Spray-On Touchscreens?
Considering that ProtoSpray is a new technology that was just recently proposed, it's unknown when or even if it will be sold on the market.
Spray-on touchscreens certainly sound promising. After all, they would allow anyone to develop a touchscreen on any surface simply by printing it. Unfortunately, the technology is still in the very early stages of development, so it may take a while before it's complete.
