LIST OF FIGURES

Fig.No Title Page. No

Fig 4.1 : Block Diagram of Touch screen. 6

Fig 5.1.1 : Working of Resistive Touch screen. 8
Fig 5.2.1 : Working of capacitive Touch screen. 9
Fig 5.3.1 : simplified diagram of P-Cap Touch screen. 10
Fig 5.4.1 : IR Multitouch Touch screen. 12
Fig 5.5.1 : Layers of Zforce Optical Interface. 13
Fig 5.5.3 : Technology Diagram. 15
Fig 6.1 : Neonode zForce feature highlights. 18
Fig 7.1 : Working of zForce Touch Screen. 19
Fig 8.1 : Neonode zForce Touch Screen LEDs and
Photo receptors. 20
Fig 8.2 : Neonode zForce Touch Screen Matrix. 21

1
 ABSTRACT

Neonode has patented and commercialized the zForce (an abbreviation

for “zero force necessary”) touch technology, which was designed to
overcome many of the limitations of today’s touch screens.

The premise of the Company’s approach entails the projection of an

infrared grid across an electronic display. As users tap, swipe, or write on the
screen, zForce® detects the location of the touch based on the interruption in
infrared light projecting across the screen, which translates to coordinates on
the grid. The zForce architecture and input method is believed to be unique
to Neonode.

A zForce Touch Screen can be activated by multiple modes of input,

including bare fingers, gloves, styluses, and (multiple simultaneous touches).
It is uncommon today to find both of pens, as well as recognizes multi-touch
these features innately built into the same touch screen. The resistive touch
technology used on most PDAs to recognize stylus writing works as a spot
on the screen is pressed inward, causing one layer of the touch screen to make
contact with a layer beneath. This contact sends a signal to the device to
recognize the touch. Although relatively low cost, resistive touch screens do
not typically allow multi-touch (swiping, gesturing).

2
 Chapter 1
INTRDUCTION

Touch Screens are display as well as input devices. These are electronic visual
devices that are sensitive to pressure thus detect the presence and location of a touch
within the display area. The screens are sensitive to pressure; a user interacts with the
computer by touching pictures or words on the screen. The term “Touch” generally
refers to touch or contact to the display of the device by a finger or hand.
Neonode has patented and commercialized the zForce (an abbreviation for “zero
force necessary”) touch technology, which was designed to overcome many of the
limitations of today’s touch screens. The premise of the company’s approach entails the
projection of an infrared grid across an electronic display. As users tap, swipe, or write
on the screen, zforce detects the location of the touch based on the Interruption in
infrared light projecting across the screen, which translates to coordinates on the grid.
The zforce architecture and input method is believed to be unique to Neonode.
A zforce Touch Screen can be activated by multiple modes of input, including
bare fingers, gloves, styluses, and (multiple simultaneous to touches).It is uncommon
today to find both pens as well as recognizes multi touch these features innately built
into the same touch screen. This contact sends a signal to the device to recognize the
touch. Although relatively low cost, resistive touch screens do not typically allow multi-
touch (swiping, gesturing).
About Neonode Inc.: Neonode Inc. is the leading provider of optical touch
screen solutions for hand-held and small to midsize devices. Neonode is offering
software licenses and engineering design services that enable companies to make high
functionality touch screens at a low cost. ZForce ® is the name of Neonode’s proprietary
patented touch screen technology. Neonode Inc. is listed on the OTCBB under the
symbol NEON.OB. Neonode is a trademark and zForce® is a registered trademark of
Neonode Inc.
zForce®: Neonode’s patented touch solution for portable devices, zForce, is
many times more cost effective than any other high performance touch solution in the
market today. ZForce® supports high resolution pen writing in combination with finger
navigation including gestures, multi-touch, sweeps and much more. ZForce® doesn’t
require an overlay on top of the display window and provide a 100% clear viewing
experience. ZForce is the only viable touch screen solution that operates on the new
revolutionary reflective display panels. ZForce® is currently being integrated into a
variety of mobile phones, e-Readers, automotive applications, mobile internet and tablet
devices.
3
 Chapter 2
HISTORY

HISTORY Touch screens originally emerged from academic and corporate

research labs in the second half of the 1960s. In 1971, the first "touch sensor" was
developed by Doctor Sam Hurst (founder of Elographics) while he was an instructor at
the University of Kentucky. This sensor was called the "Elograph" and was patented by
The University of Kentucky Research Foundation. One of the first places where they
gained some visibility was in the terminal of a computer-assisted learning terminal that
came out in 1972 as part of the PLATO project. They have subsequently become
familiar in kiosk systems, such as in retail and tourist settings, on point of sale systems,
on ATMs and on PDAs where a stylus is sometimes used to manipulate the GUI and to
enter data. The popularity of smart phones, PDAs, portable game consoles and many
types of information appliances is driving the demand for, and the acceptance of, touch
screens. The HP-150 from 1983 can be considered as the world's earliest commercial
touch screen computer. It doesn't actually have a touch screen in the strict sense, but a
9" Sony CRT surrounded by infrared transmitters and receivers which detect the
position of any nontransparent object on the screen. Until the early 1980s, most
consumer touch screens could only sense one point of contact at a time, and few have
had the capability to sense how hard one is touching. With commercialization of touch
screens the technology used changed to multipoint technology from dingle point.
Historically, the touch screen sensor and its accompanying controller-based firmware
have been made available by a wide array of after-market system integrators and not by
display, chip or motherboard manufacturers. With time, however, display manufacturers
and chip manufacturers worldwide have acknowledged the trend toward acceptance of
touch screens as a highly desirable 4 user interface component and have begun to
integrate touch screen functionality into the fundamental design of their products.

4
 Chapter 3

CAPABILITY

The Touch Screens come with a variety of definite advantages over

normal/conventional input-output devices. Some of them are:

 Easy to use: This provides for a rich user interface experience as this supports
for a very intuitive easy to use environment and is facilitated by just a touch.

 Saves space: In this world where cost of real estate [i.e., property prices] are sky
rocketing intelligent utilization of space is of great importance. Thus touch
screens facilitate for this by saving space of keyboard and this finds many
applications in day today activities.

 Speed and Reliability: While laptops do come with a mouse pad and a USB
port to allow you to attach an external mouse to your laptop for easier navigation,
the amount of time spent to do simple navigations with these devices are
extremely slow as compared to simply touching the screen and pointing directly
at the option. Having a touch screen laptop would make navigation extremely
faster and more reliable. No need to worry about clicking the wrong option,
especially if you are making transactions over the Internet.

5
 Chapter 4
COMPONENTS
A basic touch screen has three main components: a touch sensor, a controller,
and a software driver. The touch screen is an input-output device, so it needs to be
combined with a display and a PC or other device to make a complete touch input
system.

Fig 4.1: Block Diagram of Touch screen

4.1 TOUCH SENSOR

A touch screen sensor is a clear glass panel with a touch responsive surface. The
touch sensor/panel is placed over a display screen so that the responsive area of the
panel covers the viewable area of the video screen. There are several different touch
sensor technologies on the market today, each using a different method to detect touch
input. The sensor generally has an electrical current or signal going through it and
touching the screen causes a voltage or signal 5 changes. This voltage change is used to
determine the location of the touch to the screen.

4.2 CONTROLLER
The controller is a small PC card that connects between the touch sensor and the
PC. It takes information from the touch sensor and translates it into information that PC
can understand. The controller is usually installed inside the monitor for integrated
monitors or it is housed in a plastic case for external touch add- ons/overlays. The
controller determines what type of interface/connection you will need on the PC.
Integrated touch monitors will have an extra cable connection on the back for the touch
screen. Controllers are available that can connect to a Serial/COM port (PC) or to a USB

6
port (PC or Macintosh). Specialized controllers are also available that work with DVD
players and other devices.

4.3 SOFTWARE DRIVER

The driver is a software update for the PC system that allows the touch screen
and computer to work together. It tells the computer's operating system how to interpret
the touch event information that is sent from the controller. Most touch screen drivers
today are a mouse emulation type driver. This makes touching the screen the same as
clicking your mouse at the same location on the screen. This allows the touch screen to
work with existing software and allows new applications to be developed without the
need for touch screen specific programming. Some equipment such as thin client
terminals, DVD players, and specialized computer systems either do not use software
drivers or they have their own built-in touch screen driver.

7
 Chapter 5
TYPES OF TOUCH SCREEN TECHNOLOGIES

5.1RESISTIVE
A resistive touch screen panel comprises several layers, the most important of which
are two thin, transparent electrically-resistive layers separated by a thin space. These
layers face each other with a thin gap between. The top screen (the screen that is
touched) has a coating on the underside surface of the screen. Just beneath it is a similar
resistive layer on top of its substrate. One layer has conductive connections along its
sides, the other along top and bottom. A voltage is applied to one layer, and sensed by
the other. When an object, such as a fingertip or stylus tip, presses down onto the outer
surface, the two layers’ touch to become connected at that point: The panel then behaves
as a pair of voltage dividers, one axis at a time. By rapidly switching between each layer,
the position of a pressure on the screen can be read.

Resistive touch is used in restaurants, factories and hospitals due to its high
resistance to liquids and contaminants. A major benefit of resistive touch technology is
its low cost. Additionally, as only sufficient pressure is necessary for the touch to be
sensed, they may be used with gloves on, or by using anything rigid as a finger/stylus
substitute. Disadvantages include the need to press down and a risk of damage by sharp
objects. Resistive touch screens also suffer from poorer contrast, due to having
additional reflections from the extra layer of material placed over the screen.

Fig 5.1.1: Working of Resistive Touch screen

8
5.2CAPACITIVE

A capacitive touch screen panel consists of an insulator such as glass, coated with a
transparent conductor such as indium tin oxide (ITO). The human body is also an
electrical conductor, touching the surface of the screen results in a distortion of the
screen’s electrostatic field, measurable as a change in capacitance. Different
technologies may be used to determine the location of the touch. The location is then
sent to the controller for processing.

Unlike a resistive touch screen, one cannot use a capacitive touch screen through
most types of electrically insulating material, such as gloves. This disadvantage
especially affects usability in consumer electronics, such as touch tablet PCs and
capacitive smart phones in cold weather. It can be overcome with a special capacitive
stylus, or a special-application glove with an embroidered patch of conductive thread
passing through it and contacting the user's fingertip.

Fig 5.2.1: Working of capacitive Touch

screen

9
 The largest capacitive display manufacturers continue to develop thinner and more
accurate touch screens, with touch screens for mobile devices now being produced with
'in-cell' technology that eliminates a layer, such as Samsung's Super AMOLED screens,
by building the capacitors inside the display itself.

A simple parallel plate capacitor has two conductors separated by a dielectric layer.
Most of the energy in this system is concentrated directly between the plates. Some of
the energy spills over into the area outside the plates, and the electric field lines
associated with this effect are called fringing fields. A parallel plate capacitor is not a
good choice for such a sensor pattern. Placing a finger near fringing electric fields adds
conductive surface area to the capacitive system. The additional charge storage capacity
added by the finger is known as finger capacitance, CF.

10
5.3 PROJECTED CAPACITANCE

Projected Capacitive Touch (PCT; also PCAP) technology is a variant of capacitive

touch technology. All PCT touch screens are made up of a matrix of rows and columns
of conductive material, layered on sheets of glass. This can be done either by etching a
single conductive layer to form a grid pattern of electrodes, or by etching two separate,
perpendicular layers of conductive material with parallel lines or tracks to form a grid.
Voltage applied to this grid creates a uniform electrostatic field, which can be measured.
When a conductive object, such as a finger, comes into contact with a PCT panel, it
distorts the local electrostatic field at that point. This is measurable as a change in
capacitance. If a finger bridges the gap between two of the "tracks", the charge field is
further interrupted and detected by the controller. The capacitance can be changed and
measured at every individual point on the grid (intersection). Therefore, this system is
able to accurately track touches. Due to the top layer of a PCT being glass, it is a more
robust solution than less costly resistive touch technology. Additionally, unlike
traditional capacitive touch technology, it is possible for a PCT system to sense a passive
stylus or gloved fingers. However, moisture on the surface of the panel, high humidity,
or collected dust can interfere with the performance of a PCT system. There are two
types of PCT: mutual capacitance and self-capacitance.

Fig 5.3.1: simplified diagram of P-Cap Touch screen

5.4 INFRARED

11
 In this technology infrared (IR) light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are placed at the opposite
edges to analyze the system and detect the touch event. The LED and photo sensor pairs create
a grid of light beams across the display. An object (such as a finger or pen) that touches the
screen interrupts the light beams, causing a measured decrease in light at the corresponding
photo sensors. The measured photo sensor outputs can be used to locate a touch-point
coordinate.

Widespread adoption of infrared touch screens has been hampered by two factors: the
relatively high cost of the technology compared to competing touch technologies and the issue
of performance in bright ambient light. This latter problem is a result of background light
increasing the noise floor at the optical sensor, sometimes to such a degree that the touch
screen’s LED light cannot be detected at all, causing a temporary failure of the touch screen.

However, certain features of infrared touch remain desirable and represent attributes of the
ideal touch screen, including the option to eliminate the glass or plastic overlay that most other
touch technologies require in front of the display. In many cases, this overlay is coated with an
electrically conducting transparent material such as indium-tin oxide (ITO), which reduces the
optical quality of the display. This advantage of optical touch screens is extremely important
for many device and display vendors since devices are often sold on the perceived quality of
the user display experience.

Another feature of infrared touch which has been long desired is the digital nature of the
sensor output when compared to many other touch systems that rely on analog-signal
processing to determine a touch position.

Fig 5.4.1: IR Multitouch Touch screen

12
5.5 ZFORCE TOUCHSCREEN TECHNOLOGY

Neonode overcomes limitations of both resistive and capacitive screens with its
zForce technology creating a next-generation touch surface that the Company believes
can be more economical as well as higher performing than either of the main
technologies in use today. Currently, projected-capacitance touch screens represent the
mainstream technology for multi-touch interfaces. However, zForce also enables the
convenient multi-touch features of capacitive screens but at the cost structure of more
affordable resistive technologies. Further, as overviewed on, in February 2012, the
Company introduced a new Multi Sense component to the zForce® technology that is
intended to improve upon standard multi-touch processes.

Fig 5.5.1: Layers of Zforce Optical Interface

.
In contrast to capacitive and resistive screens, which have microscopic circuits
embedded on a glass substrate, Neonode’s controller projects a grid of infrared light
beams across the display layer. Importantly, the Company’s technology is display
agnostic and can be added to variety of display surfaces, including liquid-crystal display
(LCD), eink, organic Light emitting diodes (OLED), and electronic paper displays
(EPD). Touch is detected as a finger or object interrupts (by obstructing or reflecting)
the light beams projected across the screen surface, which identifies the X and Y
coordinates of the touch. As illustrated in Figure 5.5.1, there is no glass substrate or
glass overlay required.

13
 A plastic light guide is located under the bezel on top of the display. It serves to
reflect and focus light are shown attached to a around the zForce display. LEDs and
photo diodes printed circuit board (PCB) display. The zForce Technology pulses an
infrared light across the screen at a rate of up to 120 times a second so the grid is
continuously refreshed. As the user’s fingers move across the screen, the grid’s
coordinates where the screen is touched are converted into mathematical algorithms in
a process that is unique to Neonode.

The newer and higher-cost capacitive technology, such as that used on Apple
Inc.’s (AAPL NASDAQ) iPhone, is activated by conductive material rather than applied
pressure. Electrodes in the display contact with an electrical conductor, such as a finger.
Capacitive devices perform multi touch but cannot be activated by standard pointers or
gloves as these are nonconductive. As a result, many users find that their touch screen
can recognize taps from their fingers but not finger nails.

Touch™ is a Force Based touch screen technology. One of the key advantages of
force based touch screen technologies is that as the applied touch force is used for
determining the touch coordinates, the touch system will, and must, also accurately
know the magnitude of the user's touch at any given moment of time. The touch system
output is therefore based on 3-variables; x- and y- coordinates and the "z-coordinate"
(force level).

Many companies and organizations have explored the concept of force-based

touch screen technologies over the last 30+ years, but few have been able to bring the
theoretical concepts or laboratory prototypes into working commercial products. Where
others have failed, F-Origin has succeeded.

F-Origin's earliest implementation was a 4" touch panel for a GSM Smartphone.
This phone was in many ways ahead of its time, featuring motion and touch control and
a Java based OS, but was unfortunately only produced in a few thousand units.

F-Origin has since further developed the touch™ touch screen product to allow
for a broad range of product applications, such as POS and POI monitors, oversized
touch monitors, indoor & outdoor kiosks, refrigerator and oven control panels, bezel
and bezel-less designs and much more.

14
 F-Origin's touch touch screen technology is built on three competence areas;
mechanical design, sensor technology, and software / algorithms. To ensure high
accuracy, the force sensor must be extremely precise, linear and sensitive. F- Origin has
jointly developed a piezo-resistive force sensor that meets these requirements.

While the FFS force sensor capture the data and the mechanical design ensures
an optimal transfer of the touch force from the touch media (touch screen, touch panel)
to the force sensors, it is the zTouch™ software and underlying mathematical algorithms
that ensures performance and accurate coordinate calculation in the system. The
firmware of the default zTouch™ implementation runs on STM32F101 and
STM32F103 family of ST Micro MCUs, however, other MCUs can be supported.

The main tasks of the zTouch™ firmware are to record & filter the sensor data,
optimize, compensate & calculate the touch coordinates, and to communicate the touch
coordinates.

Fig 5.5.3: Technology Diagram

15
 Technology Diagram The zTouch™ architecture is highly flexible and supports
touch systems using at least one (1), and up to eight (8) force sensors. The functional
modules of the firmware include data filtering and data correction, initial coordinate
calculation, zero moment calculation and auto calibration, motion compensation, touch
threshold determination and data export. Additional support functions, such as the
initialization function allows for certain values and thresholds to be set or manipulated
by user, or even the applications. For example, the required force levels for a touch or a
click. Specific end-user calibration module is currently not supported as a standard
configuration, although it can be if requested.

16
 Chapter 6
FEATURES OF ZFORCE TOUCH SCREEN

 Support for any type of touch: User input is recorded independent of what the
user is touching the screen with, e.g., finger with or without glove, pen, stylus,
credit card etc.

 Durability: Touch surface/lens is as durable as the system/application requires.

No membrane to wear so routine cleaning procedures and materials can be used
without concern.

 Environmental robustness: Moisture/dust resistance as well as the ability to

filter out and ignore weather and contaminants is another benefit of the design
and positive impact to no membrane layer or bezel-based optics and electronics.
Bezel or Bezel-less designs are available.

 Optical Performance: Optical performance is enhanced compared to typical

surface-based touch systems because there is no surface membrane to restrict
light transmission. Better clarity and light throughput enhances viewing
experience as well as potentially reducing backlighting thereby saving system
energy usage as well.

 Configurable force sensitivity levels: With most of the system’s intelligence

resident in the software, it is simple to adjust force levels (sensitivity) for different
users or applications. This is useful in setting the minimum pressure necessary to
register a particular touch, gesture, or key press. For example, a light touch may
highlight or select a key, while a harder press could be required to record the key
press.

 Lens or touch surface design freedom: As long as the lens/touch surface is

rigid, any material may be selected. The shape of the surface could also be non-

17
 rectangular and it may even have 3-dimensional features or topography such as
raised or lowered areas for key orientation effects or Braille character support.

 Gesture Support: The zTouch touch screen will register single points, such as
key presses, as well as line drawings and gestures, making this solution optimal
for gesture inputs, drawing, and handwriting recognition applications.

 Affordable: The zTouch™ technology is also very cost effective/competitive,

especially for larger volumes, as the cost for unique components and sensors is
comparatively low.

Fig 6.1: Neonode zForce feature highlights

18
 Chapter 7
WORKING PRINCIPLE OF ZFORCE

Infrared touch screen is a touch frame which is usually installed in front of the
display screen. The frame is integrated with printed circuit board which contains a line
of IR-LEDs and photo transistors hidden behind the bezel of the touch frame. Each of
IR-LEDs and photo transistors is set on the opposite sides to create a grid of invisible
infrared light. The bezel shields the parts from the operation environment while
allowing the IR beams to pass through.

The infrared Touch Screen controller sequentially pulses less to create a grid of
IR light beams. When a user touches the screen, enters the grid by a stylus which can
interrupt the IR light beams, the photo transistors from x and Y axes detect the IR light
beams which have been interrupted and transmit exact signals that identify the X and Y
axes coordinates to the host.

An array of infrared LEDs are used to track where fingers on the screen are the
drawback of this kind of technology is that a raised bezel is places around the screen.
This raised bezel houses an array of infrared LEDs and sensors. The new technology
has already been licensed to companies to use this technology. The swips company has
noted that power consumption is as low as 1mw at 100 Hz. battery life of tablets devices
will benefit from such a new type of touch screen. 1ms response times are quite possible
with this new technology and there is little to no lag.

Fig 7.1: Working of zForce Touch Screen

19
 Chapter 8
ZFORCE AN OPTICAL TOUCH SCREEN FROM NEONODE

Optical touch screens like the ones using Neonode’s zForce technology offer a
cheaper and more versatile alternative to more popular touchscreens like resistive and
capacitive types. In addition to obvious applications in devices like cell phones and
tablet pc’s, they also open the doors to the possibility of producing touch screen e-book
readers.
I’ve always loved the technology behind what I call pure e-book readers, i.e.,
those devices that use e-ink displays. E-ink technology allows the text to be readable
even under direct sunlight, has ultra-low power consumption, and is not as strenuous to
the eyes – almost like a real book. However, the allure of having a touch screen display
is also overwhelming.
Unfortunately, e-ink screens by themselves are not touch-sensitive. That is why
some people are drawn to tablet pc’s that enhance the reading experience by adding
touch features. But while these devices will allow you to use a stylus or your finger to
“flip” pages and interact with the screen, they don’t offer the benefits of e-ink mentioned
above.
That’s where optical touch screen technologies like zForce will come in handy.
Let me introduce you to the basic concept first.

Fig 8.1: Neonode zForce touch screen LEDs and

photoreceptors

20
Imagine a bezel surrounding the screen. This bezel contains pairs of LEDs and
photoreceptors (represented by the red and yellow dots in the image above) aligned on
opposite sides of the frame. Pulses of infrared light are emitted from the LED to the
photoreceptors, effectively forming a matrix as shown.

Fig 8.2: Neonode zForce touch screen matrix

Thus, when you touch the screen with your finger, it gets in the way of one or more
infrared beams. This allows the system to determine the X and Y coordinates where the
obstruction took place. The same thing happens when you use either a stylus or another
object like the side of a card.

21
 Chapter 9
ADVANTAGES

 It does not require a glass overlay.

 This translates to better light transmission and subsequently better display quality.

 It does not require any force.

 It supports interactions using a finger, a stylus, or even a gloved hand.

 Since it leaves the e-ink display as is, all the benefits associated with an e-ink

display is retained.

 It is cheaper technology as compared to the resistive and capacitive touch screen.

 It supports multi-touch.

 It consumes minimal power.

 It is not sensitive to Radio Frequency Interference (RFI) or Electromagnetic

Interference (EMI).

 It is able to provide high resolutions.

 Long service life.

 It does not user the electrical properties of the human body track movement.

 Long battery life.

 Scratch, breakage, and liquid resistance.

22
 Chapter 10

DISADVANTAGES
 Accidental activation.

 Can be relatively easily damaged by impact.

 Not recommended for public access applications.

 A raised bezel is placed around the screen.

 1ms response times are quite possible with this new technology and there is little

to no long.

23
 CONCLUSION

The possibilities are numerous and can be explored further in this technology that is
conceived and promoted by the company Neonode. Implementation of this technology
into practical use would be worth for economic making touchscreen scratch and liquid
resistance and we will proceed towards a better, faster technology. The concept of
zForce technology is currently attracting a great deal of interest, not least because it may
offer a genuine and very efficient alternative to other traditional outdated touchscreens.

24
 REFERENCES

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neonode
 http://www.neonode.com/zforce/
 www.ijcsmc.com/docs/papers/Septemper2013/v219201321.pdf
 www.prezi.com/wo2m0a9ne9n9/zforce-touch-screen
 www.neonode.com
 En.wikipedia.org/wiki/neonode
 www.engadget.com/tag/neonode

25
 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Q- What is Zforce touch screen?

A- The premise of the company's approach entails the projection of an infrared
grid across an electronic display. As users tap, swipe, or write on the screen,
zforce detects the location of the touch based on the Interruption in infrared
light projecting across the screen, which translates to coordinates on the grid.

Q- Comparison between Zforce and other touch screen?

A-

26
Q- What are the applications of Zforce technology?
A-
 AirBar.
 Laptops.
 E-Readers.
 Tablet PCs.

27