Touch solutions company Zytronic has partnered with Infomatika to perform a large scale deployment of information terminals within the Moscow healthcare system. The new terminals are designed to allow patients to carry out various tasks themselves, such as visit registration, updating personal data or booking appointments at doctors’ surgeries and hospitals. Each unit has a large, portrait-mounted 23.6-inch touch-enabled display. Zytronic says that as a result of using the PCT screens, it was possible for Informatika to design the kiosks with smooth fronted fascias, free of bezels or frames. This not only accentuates the appearance of the terminals, but it also means that the screens are easy to regularly wipe clean, with no areas where dirt can be trapped — a crucial factor given the location of the kiosks in clinical environments. To date, 1,500 terminals have been installed in healthcare locations within Moscow’s metropolitan area, and further 700 terminals already installed for several other projects.

A custom ZYBRID touch sensor was developed for the patient kiosk. Infomatika was able to benefit from the high level of tuneable touch sensitivity offered by Zytronic’s technology to mount the screens to operate through a 6mm thick tempered overlay, thus creating the edge-to-edge flat fronted design as well as guarding against wear and tear. This helps to extend these kiosks’ operational lifespan and minimizes the likelihood of costly display replacement.

Zytronic’s touch sensors, thanks to the patented projected capacitive technology and manufacturing process, differentiate themselves from other touchscreen types in terms of their durability and form/factor flexibility. The basic PCT sensor structure consists of a matrix of micro-fine copper capacitors. The diameter of these capacitors is just 10µm, making them virtually invisible to the naked eye when viewed in a powered display. The sensor matrix is embedded into a laminated glass substrate of customer specified thickness, which (as in the case of the Informatika kiosk) can in turn be placed behind an additional glass or plastic overlay (>10 millimeters thick if necessary) to protect the sensor from all manner of physical harm, such as scratches, shocks, vibrations and extremes of temperature. As well as its high degree of robustness, PCT touch sensors can be designed to negate the need for a bezel surrounding the display. This means that attractive, flush-mounted, easy to clean touchscreen designs can be realized.

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