DISPLAYS & UIS FEATURE Backlighting takes a step forward
and integrated Illuminated icons and logos. The capacitive sense pads and LEDs are manufactured on a single PCB which can include the LED encoding and driving components. This high level of integration offers
lower manufacturing costs and increased reliability as there are no moving parts - even membrane key types are mechanical. The integration of capacitive-switch panel and backlighting reduces cost and simplifies integration and test as it is supplied as a “single box” solution. Complete “Thin-Film” backlit panels may be as simple as illuminated displays or include complex ideograms to graphically indicate system status and in addition to capacitive switches incorporate slider controls, joysticks, tracker balls and displays. Offering an ultra-thin Z-axis (thickness)
Vince Light, Technical Director of Stadium IGT reviews how the increasing use of Capacitive Switching is driving development of “Thin-Film” Backlighting technology in industrial electronics
W
ith the rapid rise in the use of smart-phones, tablets and PDA’s in
their home and business lives, users have become very familiar with capacitive switching technologies and are now expecting to have the same man-machine interface (MMI) available on industrial control and instrumentation. Integrating capacitive switching into industrial control offers designers many benefits including improved product ergonomics and aesthetics, increased functionality, lower component count, simplified manufacturing and increased reliability. However there are a number of practical
issues that have to be considered before moving away from discreet switching or membrane type keypads, including ruggedizing and illumination. Most users of modern smart phones and tablets will be only too aware of their frailties! The latest developments in capacitive
switching technologies allow them to be hermetically sealed and function behind a glass or polycarbonate overlay of up to 13mm. This addresses the more extreme MMI application areas and other applications where waterproofing is required or vandalism is a potential hazard; including public areas such as street mounted information terminals at bus stops etc., help-points for commuters and tourists, ticket machines,
self-service tills, vending machines and rugged industrial applications; including control systems and medical and industrial instrumentation. Status indication for discrete and
membrane type MMI is largely an LED placed adjacent to a switch or included in the actuating button. This may be suitable for very simple control functions but the introduction of capacitive switching screens and their ability to allow control functions to be re-designated during use and show graphic pictograms, call for a much more sophisticated display technology.
CAPACITIVE SWITCHING COMBINED Stadium IGT has developed an innovative method of combining the benefits of capacitive switching with multi-colour area-specific backlighting. Historically, illuminating capacitive switches has caused problems for designers but by using thin film light guides and remote LED light sources, the two technologies can be successfully integrated into a single efficient design, offering fewer layers and components. This patented “Thin-Film” backlighting technology provides bright, even illumination with no hot spots adjacent to the light source, segmented illumination, providing partially lit areas with no light “bleed” between segments
/ ELECTRONICS Figure 1:
Stadium IGT has helped develop numerous backlighting techniques, integral RFI screening and capacitive switching systems, both touch screen based and single press control panels with optional back-lighting
for a range of industrial applications
of typically 1.2 - 2mm, “Thin-Film” backlighting technology can be curved to meet end product functionality or aesthetics and for high-volume applications it may be injection moulded to further reduce costs. Operating from a low voltage DC power supply removes any high voltage requirement that alternative video monitor based systems may require and allows the use of an N+1 redundant power source for safety critical installations. “Thin-Film” LED backlighting technology also offers colour-changing LEDs, “secret until lit” signs and high impact product branding options which can differentiate the end products from competitors. It is the perfect illumination method to complement the growing use of capacitive switching as the preferred man-machine interface. Stadium IGT has been at the forefront of
Man Machine Interface technology for more than twenty years and has been responsible for many technological innovations now in common use. These include numerous backlighting techniques, integral RFI screening and most recently the development of capacitive switching systems, both touch screen based and single press control panels with optional back-lighting. The company’s products are widely used in rail, marine, aviation, industrial and medical markets.
Stadium IGT
www.stadium-igt.com 023 8061 0818
Enter 200 ELECTRONICS | OCTOBER 2014 9
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