Touchscreens have become an essential part of everyday life, and on Vanderbilt’s campus, nearly everyone interacts with them, whether on smartphones, tablets, or laptops. Touchscreen technology has evolved significantly over the years due to breakthroughs in technology research. Understanding this evolution and touchscreens’ function can provide insight into their role in various fields, including medicine, technology and public services.
The history of touchscreen technology
The development of touchscreens dates back to research initiatives in the mid-twentieth century, with significant contributions from institutions like Oak Ridge National Laboratory, located near Vanderbilt. Physicist Dr. G. Samuel Hurst developed a touchscreen for a computer while with his friends in his basement after working the day at Oak Ridge, a project which eventually grew into the company Elo TouchSystems that is still around today.
Early touchscreens were rudimentary compared to today’s sleek and highly responsive interfaces. The introduction of the iPhone in 2007 revolutionized touchscreen technology by popularizing capacitive touch and multi-touch capabilities, leading to widespread adoption in consumer electronics and various industries. Over the years, touchscreens have become more durable, responsive, and energy-saving, fueling their integration into everyday devices.
How touchscreens work
Touchscreen technology relies on capacitive sensing to detect user input. Beneath the glass surface of a touchscreen, there are multiple layers forming a grid of capacitors. Capacitors are electronic components that store and release charge and are composed of two conductors sandwiching an insulating component called a dielectric. When a voltage is applied across the plates, an electric field forms, causing positive and negative charges to accumulate on the respective plates. This stored charge can then be discharged when needed. When a user’s finger comes into contact with the screen, another capacitor is created due to the conductive properties of human skin. Since the human body contains water and ions, human skin has conductive properties that allow it to interfere with the electric field of the screen, thus allowing the user to interact with the device without the need for physical pressure.
The conductivity of human skin is also the reason why most gloves do not work with touchscreens — they are not made of conductive material. Gloves that do work with touchscreens use conductive material such as copper threads, aluminum, or thermal paste weaved into the fingertips so that users can access their devices with ease despite chilly temperatures. This change in capacitance is detected and processed by the device, allowing for precise interaction with digital elements. Unlike resistive touchscreens, which require physical pressure, capacitive touchscreens are highly sensitive and enable multi-touch gestures, improving user experience and functionality. Resistive touchscreens are found in industrial equipment and medical devices due to their compatibility with the use of gloves and styluses, and they are also found in older ATMs and point-of-sale systems such as cash registers.
Applications of touchscreen technology
Touchscreens are widely used across multiple fields, enhancing efficiency and accessibility. In medicine, touchscreens are used in medical imaging devices, patient monitoring systems, and electronic health records, allowing healthcare professionals to interact with data quickly and effectively. Furthermore, touchscreens are omnipresent in our daily personal devices. From smartphones and tablets to laptops and smartwatches, touchscreens have transformed how people interact with digital devices, making navigation intuitive and seamless. Even when getting a bite to eat, customers may be faced with navigating a touchscreen interface. Public kiosks, such as those in airports, retail stores, and fast-food restaurants, utilize touchscreens for self-service transactions, reducing wait times and improving customer convenience.
The future of touchscreen technology
As technology continues to evolve, touchscreens will too — soon, there will be new features we hadn’t even thought of and materials to enhance user interaction. Some promising developments include AI-driven interfaces, in which artificial intelligence will allow machines to make predictions about user behavior, generate personalized suggestions, and improve device accessibility for individuals with disabilities. Haptic feedback is another feature being integrated into the newest touchscreens, allowing users to sense textures and resistive forces on virtual surfaces for a more interactive digital experience. In addition, companies are working towards improvements in developments of flexible Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) and foldable screens. This could lead to more types of wearable technology and innovative display methods for increased portability.
Finally, advancements in sensor technology are paving the way for touchless interfaces, allowing users to interact with devices through hand movements, reducing physical contact and enhancing hygiene. Research labs like the Multisensory Research Lab at Vanderbilt explore the impact of tactile senses on the brain, focusing on topics such as “neural plasticity in sensory deprivation and restoration” and “modeling spatial integration changes in autism.” By deepening our understanding of how the brain processes multisensory information, designers can create more intuitive, responsive, and accessible touchscreen technologies, further improving user experiences and functionality.
Touchscreen technology has revolutionized how people interact with digital devices, and its future holds even greater potential. With continuous innovation in AI, haptic feedback, and flexible materials, touchscreens will become more immersive and responsive, shaping the way we engage with technology in various aspects of life. As research institutions and tech companies push the boundaries of what is possible, the evolution of touchscreen technology will continue to impact industries and everyday experiences.
References
Explore Oak Ridge. (n.d.). Innovations that transformed the world. Explore Oak Ridge. Retrieved February 16, 2025, from https://exploreoakridge.com/innovations-that-transformed-the-world/
Forbes Technology Council. (2022, July 20). A brief history of touchscreen technology: From the iPhone to multi-user videowalls. Forbes. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbestechcouncil/2022/07/20/a-brief-history-of-touchscreen-technology-from-the-iphone-to-multi-user-videowalls/
Nelson Miller. (n.d.). What types of materials work with capacitive touchscreens? Retrieved February 16, 2025, from https://nelson-miller.com/what-types-of-materials-work-with-capacitive-touchscreens/
Reshine Display. (n.d.). What devices use resistive touch screen? Reshine Display. Retrieved February 16, 2025, from https://www.reshine-display.com/what-devices-use-resistive-touch-screen.html
Vanderbilt Kennedy Center. (n.d.). Multisensory research. Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Retrieved February 16, 2025, from https://vkc.vumc.org/multisensory/index.html
