3M Combines Touch Screens With Digital Signage for Vending Machines
3M Combines Touch Screens With Digital Signage for Vending Machines
3M's Micro Touch division, which develops touch screen technology and devices has been one of the first firms to implement the technology of touch screens into vending machines. Some notable breakthroughs in the area by 3M have been the addition of ruggedness, spill-resistance, and durability - all crucial to vending devices. 3M Micro Touch offers both capacitative and resistive touch screen technology; 3M, however, recommends the capacitative technology specifically for vending application. They have been designing the capacitative screens to be durable, robust, sensitive, and to produce extreme optical clarity. They have developed specialty software to accompany the device, which is a small electronic controller that is attached directly to the LCD screen. A strong part of 3M's value proposition for the screens and technology is the replacement of mechanical buttons with graphical icons representing products. They have constructed the software so that users can drill down for more in-depth product information. The application is built on 3M Micro Touch ClerTek II capacitative touch screen design. This particular platform uses a combination of patented electronic devices and software to integrate digital signage displays with touch screen transaction ability.
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