The Rise of Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) Touchscreens
Resistive and capacitive have become the industry standard for touchscreen devices. Both technologies are able to create fully functional touchscreen devices. Resistive touchscreen devices feature multiple layers that are separated by an inert layer or gas or air. When you press down on the interface, it forces the layers to make contact so that the device is able to identify the local of your touch. Capacitive touchscreen devices, on the other hand, feature a uniform electrostatic field that changes capacitance when touched. Touching the interface of a capacitive device causes your finger to absorb some of its electricity, allowing the device to determine the point of contact. But there's another type of touchscreen technology that's becoming more and more popular: surface acoustic wave (SAW).
What Is SAW Touchscreen Technology?
SAW is a relatively new form of touchscreen technology that operates using the principles of piezoelectricity. Basically, SAW touchscreen devices feature a series of ultrasonic wave transmitters and corresponding receivers or sensors. Both types of components are installed around the edge of the device, with the transmitters emitting ultrasonic waves across the surface of the device. When you touch the interface, the ultrasonic waves are blocked. The receivers or sensors are then able to determine where this blockage occurred so that they can respond with the appropriate touch command.
