Experts from the Perm National Research Polytechnic University (PNRPU) have created a touch screen that responds to touch sound. This will make it possible to create devices with haptic (touch-sensitive) interfaces that can operate in difficult conditions. socialbites.ca was informed about this by the press service of the scientific institution.
As scientists have clarified, traditional control panels with buttons quickly fail in aggressive environments, where dust and moisture can get into cracks and disable equipment. Touch screens, which have become commonplace, also have their own disadvantages; these are often made from fragile materials, making them less versatile and reliable.
Scientists at Perm Polytechnic University have found a way to create a tactile interface from metal and other durable compounds that detects the location of touch using sound waves. The surface of such a screen can be of any shape and size.
“When the user touches the screen, a shock wave is produced that travels across the touchpad. Microphones located inside record the sound vibrations, the sound reaches the different microphones in its own time. Its readings are then transferred to the microcontroller and processed there – the relative time delay and signal strength are calculated; from here the distance of the user’s touch and its location can be calculated,” Alexey Kozin, assistant of the Department of Automation and Telemechanics, Perm Polytechnic University, explained to socialbites.ca.
During the work, PNRPU experts simulated a sensory acoustic device. A mathematical model determines the propagation and localization of sound in solids, taking into account time delay and volume. In the simulation, the scientists used an anechoic environment and a single touch to the center. They determined the signal strength and peak value of the waves.
To test the feasibility of implementing such a system in practice, experts conducted an experiment using an aluminum can. The coordinates of the microphones and touches were fully consistent with the model, with the approximate duration of the touch being 85 milliseconds and its peak value occurring at 900 microseconds.
PNRPU noted that such touch screens are most in demand in mining equipment, where high levels of dust in the air cause devices to wear out very quickly.
Previously in Russia was created Technology for ultra-precision welding of glass and metal.
Source: Gazeta
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