Transparent Touch Displays 101
What is a Transparent Touch Display?
A transparent touch display (also known as a see-through touch display) is a type of an electronic display integrated by many companies into the commercial products they manufacture such as shopping displays, wall displays, table-top displays, augmented reality and construction materials such as glass. Some companies have also explored the option of implementing this technology into a few of their consumer products as well which consists of their latest laptop range in order to grant more options to the user with regards to making more use of their laptops.
Even though the technology is more than a decade old, its usage only increased significantly after 2012 when many technology-related brands started exploring the real life applications of such a technology on a commercial scale.
Characteristics of a Transparent Glass Touch Screen Display
The transparent glass touch screen display is unique in the functionality it offers as compared to other displays used in many devices available in the mass market. The transparent display is designed in such a way that you can see through it as if you were looking through a clear glass window. This is possible due to the display having a very thin bezel which allows for a much thinner design as compared to a normal touch screen found in your smart phones and tablets.
Types of Transparent Touch Displays
A number of different types of transparent touch displays are available in the market to be purchased and used with many commercial applications. Each one of them has their advantages and disadvantages over the others in terms of their usage and the technology they use. There are 3 types of transparent touch displays one can order from select manufacturers according to their needs and requirements. They are;
i) Transparent LCD Touch Screen Display
Some companies and businesses prefer to buy transparent LCD touch screen displays for installing them both inside and outside their shops and stores. These displays are very thin as compared to the normal LCD screens as they do not have a native electrical backlighting function in them and must rely on natural light sources for illuminating the screen. As a result, this allows these displays to consume 90% lesser electricity as compared to their normal LCD counterparts. However, such screens have limited use due to their reliance on external light sources.
ii) Transparent OLED Touch Screen Display
Transparent OLED touch screen displays are more commonly produced and used by manufacturers and businesses respectively. These displays consist of 2 layers of glass; the conductive layer and the emissive layer along with a native backlight source which makes it able to be used in darker environments; an option not granted by a transparent LCD touch screen display.
Industry Applications
Transparent touch displays have garnered immense popularity over time, across a wide range of industries. They are most commonly used in:
i) The retail industry (such as points-of-sale terminal, point-of-purchase and in-store branding)
ii) Hospitality sector (restaurants and hotels)
iii) Public places (airports, bus and train stations)
iv) Advertising industry (billboards)
v) Augmented reality