The Touchscreen and Swipe Technology - Term Paper Example

The Touchscreen/Swipe Technology Insert Name Course, Class, Semester Institution Instructor Date The Touchscreen/Swipe Technology Introduction First came the iPhones, then the iPod and now the unmatched creativity at Apple Inc, has come up with the pioneering technology of the iPad. An iPad is an electronic device that experts have defined as a series of tablet mini-computers that is designed for the purposes of audio-visual application such as movies, computer games, and music and so on (Carlson, 2012). By size and perhaps weight, this piece of innovation does not exceed the ordinary iPhone or mini laptop computers. It has a virtual on-screen keyboard in place of the otherwise bulky physical keyboard. The invention of the iPad has been described as: going the extra mile in the world of technology. The operating system used on the iPhone is the very one used by the iPad. There is no iPhone application that cannot run on the iPad. The thing that has the brain of the layman to the world of mystery is the way in which the touch screen of the iPad works. So the topic of debate has been how exactly does the touch screen technology work, and what is the significance of the technology in the world today? This essay is written in an attempt to answer in part the issue in question. An overview of the iPad touch screen/swipe technology The touch screen is fast replacing manual hardware such as the physical keyboard and the computer mouse as well as the joysticks that have been in use for as long as computers have been. The first ever touch screen technology was brought into being by one E.A Johnson in the United Kingdom in 1971. This is the same technology that has undergone improvements to be used in the contemporary smart phones. The biggest improvement of the technology of touch screen was pioneered by Apple Inc. The reasoning behind the way a touch screen works is not easy to understand but can be explained in a simple form to make sense. The touch screen is an electronic layer of very thin slides that are sensitive to touch and light. These sensors locate the position of a person’s finger through detecting the inconsistency in the strata of slides (Cohen et al, 2011). The screen is linked to the set of programs within the iPad so as to execute instructions upon touch. When the screen senses contact, it sends a signal to the appropriate program. The program to which the signal is sent depends on which display mode the iPad was in during the contact. It is no puzzle then why touching the screen when in numeric mode, a number will appear on the screen. The design adopted by the apple company is a multi-interface display that enables a user to operate various applications at once. The iPad has a very sensitive and powerful Wi-Fi that is capable of linking to local area networks of 3G and 4G. The visual clarity and audio brilliance of this piece of pioneering technology make it an outstanding innovation. Its internet connection has such outstanding features as censorship (Mazo & Trautschold, 2012). For instance most pornographic sites cannot be accessed through the device. As such it serves the function of preventing moral decay. The iPad has various uses. As such computer scientists have described it as a technological chameleon. It is suitable for use by anybody, anywhere and can do virtually anything that is digitally involving. The Chief Executive at Apple Inc, Steve Jobs has termed the device as the most important device that he and his team of experts have invented yet. The iPad is used in practically all spheres of life. Most professions have immensely appreciated the versatility of this device. Through its Global Positioning System, it is widely used in many militaries worldwide. Similarly, the police and other intelligence agencies are using it to go about their duties effectively. The accuracy of its applications such as the grid reading and mapping applications has made it popular in military trainings and maneuvers (Mazo & Trautschold, 2012). The press and mass communication sector is perhaps the section that has embraced the iPad more than any other sector in the world today. Various applications and its extensive internal storage capacity make it the most popular technology yet. The fact that the iPad is light and easily portable boosts to its popularity. The iPad has however been criticized as being too limiting as far as versatility is concerned. Negative critics have done reports and journals discrediting the piece of innovation as not being a full computer its makers claim to be. Even so computer scientists have dismissed such critics as ignorant and resistant to change (Mazo & Trautschold, 2012). The touch screen technologies applied to apple products such as the resistive technology, the surface resistance model and such like have not been incorporated in the products of other companies. Types of touchscreen technology Resistive touchscreen A resistive touchscreen board is made up of a layer of two slides that are capable of conducting electric current. The two sheets are separated by some faint particles that are translucent in nature. In some screens such spots can be seen as faded marks. When the screen comes into contact with pressure, for instance when a person presses the screen, the two plates come into contact and as such, an electric current is transmitted prompting the screen to send a signal to the processor. The processor then interprets the message according to where the screen was pressed. As such the instruction or set of instructions is executed accordingly. The resistive type of touchscreen is the most basic type and is the simplest to understand. Some manufacturers of the same make use of glass and metallic slides. The glass is used in place of the translucent particles. Upon impact with pressure, the signal is sent from the exact grid on the screen and the processor translates it immediately (Cohen et al, 2011). Surface touchscreen This type of touchscreen uses ultra sound technology. When a touch is passed or sensed above the screen, the plates beneath the screen transform it into o ultrasonic waves. Such waves are transmitted from the panel of the screen to the processor. The processor traces the position and exact coordinates from which the waves come from. Consequent translation and execution of the instruction is done. It is worth noting that just like the resistive screen, the surface screen is made up of conductive metallic plates. However as a matter of fact, the surface screen easily gets affected by such external factors as dust and any other objects that can exert a little pressure on the plates (Cohen et al, 2011). Capacitive touchscreen Capacitive touchscreen is made up of non-conductive plates. These plates are covered by conductive elements. This type of touch screen works on the premise that the human body is a conductor of electricity. It is therefore based on the assumption that upon touch by the human figure, there will be some inconsistencies in the electric field of the panel. This will prompt the computer software beneath the panel to determine the grid of the touch. Locating the grid facilitates the transmission of signal to the processor (Cohen et al, 2011). The processor executes the instruction. Whereas the capacitive touchscreen transits almost 95 percent of the light from the screen, the resistive model transmits 70 percent Surface capacitance In this type of touchscreen, the panel is made up of plates that are basically non-conductive. One side of the plate however is covered by conductive material. Upon touch by the human finger or by a stylus, a little amount of electric charge is supplied to the panel resulting in the uniformity in the panel’s field of electricity. Capacitors are alternately created when a human finger touches the insulated side. The controller of the sensor is able to determine the location (Osborne, 2012). The role of touchscreen technology in education and schooling When the laptop technology came into being, people especially the affluent termed the desktop computers as old technology and turned to the then innovative thing- the laptop. With the coming of the laptop, distant learning and online schooling also referred to as e-learning became very popular among students. Working and studying became easier following the portability of the new generation technology. Due to the continuous improvement in technology, the touchscreen technology became more widely accepted and replaced the laptop technologies. The touchscreen technology changed the meaning of book storage. It made the storage of information and data very much simpler than before. Schools in America and Asia, more specifically china and Japan, facilitated the access of touchscreen tablet computers. They realized the need to replace the otherwise obsolete libraries with efficiency and effectiveness. In the contemporary schooling environment, an iPad is the greatest asset in the possession of a student. The touchscreen of the iPad enhances the speed of accessing e-books through the thousands of online libraries. The various applications that can efficiently be accessed through the touch technology of the iPad enable the students gather information on various topics of study and research from all over the world (Osborne, 2012). These technologies have surely made the world the proverbial global village. Through the use of a touchscreen tablet device, a student is capable of multi-tasking and handling a week’s work in a day (Stevens, 2011). This saves time for both the student and the teacher. The teacher is able to refer the students to some online library or book for clarification. The clarity associated with the touchscreen of an iPad makes the student easily manage to read and understand fast the exceptional liquid clear display enhances the graphics of the device as well. It is no wonder the, why teachers and students have taken class correspondence to the internet. The teacher can send assignments through the applications of the touchscreen tablet devices. Similarly after completion of the assignment or continuous assessment tests, the students send the assignment to the instructor for review. After the grading, the tutor sends the students the results through the same technological path. The introduction of the touchscreen iPad technology has greatly reduced the need for technical support in the learning institutions (Stevens, 2011). Lecturers and tutors have been over-dependant on the Information Technology technicians in the past. The touch screen iPad has reduced the need for such stuff in the schooling community hence cutting down on staff costs and promoting creativity among teachers and students. The most striking characteristic of the touchscreen technology is that it is easy to use and understand unlike other technologies that call for complicated maintenance procedures. As such students and teachers are capable of maintaining their own devices. The storage of books and notes made in class is made easier by the touchscreen devices. This explains in part why they are as popular among the school population. The role of touchscreen technology in helping children with autism develop The touchscreen technologies have played a vital role in helping children with autism develop social skill and improve their communication abilities (Saffer, 2009). Autism is a condition in children that hinders their mental growth. It results in antisocial behavior in the affected children. They won’t be seen playing or talking to other kids. They keep to themselves all the time. Such children can grow to be destructive as nobody knows what is going on in their minds whenever they are alone. Doctors recommend that such children be encouraged to become social through being involved in games, watching movies and listening to music. As such they may get to learn the normal ways and grow to be normal children. Talking of computer games, music and movies, the touchscreen technology is the ultimate solution. The many applications supported by touchscreen devices like and especially the iPad offer the right collection for the children suffering autism. Such children play games and watch movies from which they learn the essence of communication. This in turn boosts their chances and ability of going to school and getting to learn like the other normal children. Talk of touchscreen bringing equal opportunity to all members of society Common use of the touchscreen technology by consumers The touchscreen is the most innovative idea yet. It is used virtually everywhere and can perform practically everything than a computer can perform, only in a better and more efficient manner (Osborne, 2012). The technology is common in the contemporary mobile phones. The ordinary keypad is becoming a thing of the past. The fact that the touchscreen is much faster compared to the QWERTY keyboard and this is why it has been termed as being much more efficient and effective than such hardware as mouse and joysticks. The touchscreen has also taken our banking industry an extra mile. The ordinary buttons at the Automated Teller Machine are being replaced with this creative and ideal technology. Using the touchscreen is a bit more secure and comes with an immense air of elegance. The use of the touchscreen at the banks’ money withdrawal points saves time and takes care of the shortcomings of the old obsolete buttons that could become faulty at any moment bringing about inconveniences to the consumers (Osborne, 2012). Touchscreen technology is bringing a very big revolution to the world of computers (Saffer, 2009). Research has shown that the technology is fast replacing the keyboards and the laptop touch pads that make computers unnecessarily bulky. The idea that a much more portable and convenient computer could be made out of eliminating the keyboard out of the laptop was the driving force behind the innovation of the iPad. Taking the letters and numbers to the screen, significantly reduces the size of the computer making it efficient and good to carry around. The touchscreen has brought a massive change-over to the system of ordering for food and drinks in hotels and such facility as the bar (Saffer, 2009). The customer nowadays does not have to keep beckoning or shouting at the waiter. It is rather unethical and at times unruly. The touchscreen has enabled the restaurants to customize their systems and link them to a touchscreen order device through which the customer places an order without much hassle by just pressing their order and waiting for the next available attendant to serve him or her. Touchscreen is the most efficient and effective way, recommended by management information system experts, for the purpose of training personnel (Osborne, 2012). Illustrating concepts and illustrating landmark ideas are best done through a big screen using the touch technology instead of the now outdated method of using mouse and keyboard. In this connection, the touchscreen technology has also been of great help to those that have the inability to use the common methods. The merits of using the touchscreen technology A touchscreen is the fastest when it comes to pointing devices. It is devoid of fumbling with the complicated QWERTY keypad and such pointing devices as the mouse (Carlson, 2012). The system responds instantly to a touch of the finger or stylus. The resistive screens have been said to be cost effective. They don’t require so much in the making of the layers of the screen panel. When analyzed critically, buying the normal hardware like the keyboard and the mouse is more costly than the touchscreen (Osborne, 2012). Talking of convenience, touchscreen is the way to go. They reduce too much hassle in communication and save so much time as well. Considering a restaurant where the customer has to shout out at the waiter and another where the client simply needs to press the screen to place an order, it is rather apparent that the manual bar is a waste of time and energy. It is uncouth as well. Touchscreen is associated with easy access and simplicity of use. Unlike using such pointers as the mouse and the keyboards, pointing using the finger is rather a natural process (Carlson, 2012). As such touchscreen makes the use of computer-based devices easier and more interesting. The monotony of using keyboards at home and at work needs to be broken. When used in public utilities, the touchscreen is more durable than the other analogue methods of data entry. The metallic layers used together with the glass of the panel of the touchscreen enhance durability. The use of touchscreen especially on mobile phones provides a big screen for browsing. A big screen makes the use of the internet very exciting. A small screen leaves the user straining while using the internet. The touchscreen is the one most important way of improving the human-computer interaction. It is not a small matter as it may sound. The touch technology saves space as it does not require space for such bulky hardware as the keyboards. The touch technology is associated with class and elegance. It gives one a sense of having a motivated esteem (Carlson, 2012). The demerits of the touchscreen technology The touchscreen technology is known to be expensive and as such is not within the means of the poor and the lower average class in society. It can only be accessed by the rich affluent class. Besides being costly the devices with such features have a short battery life. This causes inconveniences especially where the user is constantly on the move. Some scientists have criticized the technology of being dangerous to the human body. This, they say, is because of the waves and infrared rays that are associated with the technology (Mazo & Trautschold, 2012). The devices using this feature are delicate and may cause regrets to the user. Conclusions In conclusion, it is worth noting that the touch screen technology is associated with more advantages than demerits. As such it comes with more good than harm. From the foregoing, the technology can be used in the most important spheres of life. For instance, they can be used in schooling and education, healthcare, training employees, banking industry, on mobile phones and in social places like restaurants and hotels. The touchscreen technology is no doubt the way to go in order to achieve technological revolutions and intellectual evolution (Carlson, 2012). I would therefore recommend that the technology be embraced the more in schools so the children can grow and develop knowing that the innovative technology is an integral part of everyday life. Judging from the foregoing discussion, the touchscreen is the centre of creativity in the contemporary world. It is no puzzle then, why Apple Inc has been such a success in the world of technology through the invention of the touchscreen iPad. References Carlson, J. (2012). The iPad for Photographers: Master the Newest Tool in Your Camera Bag. Berkeley. Peachpit Press Carlson, J. (2012). The iPad Pocket Guide (3rd Edition): Generous Knowledge, E-Pocket Sized. Berkeley. Peach pit Press Cohen, M; Cohen, D; & Spangenbrg, L.(2011). The iPad Project Book: Stuff you can do with your iPad. Berkeley. Peachpit Press Mazo, G. & Trautschold, M. (2012) iPad 2 Made Simple. New York. APress Osborne, H. (2012). Health Literacy from A to Z (2nd Edition). Burlington. Jones & Bartlett Learning Saffer, D. (2009) Designing Gestural Interfaces: Touchscreens and Interactive Devices. New York. O’Reilly Media, Inc Stevens, C. (2011). Designing for the Ipad: Building Applications That Sell. London. John Wiley & Sons, Inc Read More