Since our previous issue of Touch Point, I’ve had a few speaking engagements and made some presentations at important industry conferences. Here’s a brief recap:

In February, at Microsoft TechDays in Paris, I gave a presentation that included a segment on how Stantum’s multi-touch technology complies with the specifications of the Windows 7 operating system. Disputing industry skepticism toward multi-touch, I asserted how a growing number of traditional Windows users perceive touch input as an evolution toward more intuitive computing that’s easier, faster and more efficient than mouse input – equating mouse-free computing with ubiquitous computing.

Windows 7 hardware requirement		Resistive Multi-Touch
Consistency and robustness	Integral Screen coverage (Equal precision at the corners and at the edges )
	Work with battery power (Touch detection work consistently when the device is plugged or battery-powered)
	No ghost noise (No data reported when no contact is made)
Core Accuracy	At least 100 ppi resolution
	At least display resolution
Sampling rate	Sampling rate is at least 50 Hz per finger (50 to 133 packets per seconds for each finger)
	Parallel or hybrid data reporting modes (no serial mode)
No jitter	For all fingers, if a contact is stationary, the reported position data must not change
Offset	The physical contact with the device and the contact position that the device reports must be within 2 mm of each other for all fingers, whether each contact is stationary or in motion
Line Accuracy	Similar accuracy when fingers are in movement
Options	Contact width and height
	Pressure

In April, at the Interactive Displays Conference in San Jose, I was invited to be co-chair of the event and to give a keynote address. Here I talked about the need for third-party integrators of multi-touch technology to strike the right balance between usability and look-and-feel; to find the right mixture of hardware and software; and – most importantly – to design their products for the user, not their own egos.

I also gave a presentation there on the differences between capacitive and resistive multi-touch in user applications – explaining the suitability of touch technology in general; demonstrating capacitive and resistive technologies in a side-by-side comparison; and addressing technical challenges and trends. I detailed how capacitive multi-touch will relegate smartphones to the high-end market segment (because capacitive-type touch screens are not suitable for emerging mobile Internet devices and netbooks) and explained the need for less costly technology without performances tradeoffs – a need that Stantum’s resistive multi-touch fills.