Introduction:-:-
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 touchscreens.
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.
Infrared
An infrared
touchscreen uses an array of X-Y infrared LED and photo detector pairs around
the edges of the screen to detect a disruption in the pattern of LED
beams. These LED beams cross each other in vertical and horizontal patterns.
This helps the sensors pick up the exact location of the touch. A major benefit
of such a system is that it can detect essentially any input including a finger,
gloved finger, stylus or pen. It is generally used in outdoor applications and
point of sale systems which cannot rely on a conductor (such as a bare finger)
to activate the touchscreen. Unlike capacitive touchscreens, infrared
touchscreens do not require any patterning on the glass which increases
durability and optical clarity of the overall system. Infrared
touchscreens are sensitive to dirt/dust that can interfere with the IR beams,
and suffer from parallax in curved surfaces and accidental press when the user
hovers his/her finger over the screen while searching for the item to be
selected.
Automotives/Navigation
The automotive and
navigation sectors represent expanding markets for Neonode, particularly given
the need for automotive displays to function well in all types of ambient
lighting. The Company believes that it is possible to rapidly obtain market
share in the automotive sector, as it accomplished in the eReader sector.
Neonode presently has an agreement with a Korean company, Design, which is an
LG company that makes electronic components and systems for the automobile
industry.
There
are many possible
applications for an
efficient touch technology
among car and
vehicle component manufacturers,
including for entertainment and navigational displays in high-end vehicles that
can be made touch sensitive. The zForce®
technology is suitable for lower-end vehicles or cars without displays in the
dash as well, as a zForce® touchpad could replace the dial, buttons, or
joystick that adjust volume, climate, and other controls. A touchpad design
would likely eliminate
several dashboard buttons,
with different gestures
indicating volume, stereo, and
other functions.
Lower Cost Of
Manufacture
Is a Cost-efficient
Solution for Manufacturers Fewer components equal lower materials costs
Simple manufacturing process Licensing a complete solution from Neonode
obviates the need to purchase
additional modules from third-party vendors Incorporates Advanced
Features After by Device Manufacturers Combines the benefits of
both resistive and capacitive touch screens Consumes less power
than competitors' solutions Includes new features that overcome limitations of resistive and capacitive
screens Works in a wide temperature range and can be used with thick gloves
Allows for waterproofing the device.
Zforce: A
Nextgeneration Alternative
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.
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 touchscreen can recognize taps from their
fingers but not finger nails. In contrast, the zForce® screens offer full
finger touch capabilities (e.g., gestures like “pinching” the screen to zoom in
or out) as well as high-resolution pen support in the same solution.
Conclusion
Neonode’s optical
infrared touch technology—zForce®—can be integrated into consumer and
industrial electronics to enable touch controls. The Company seeks to compete
with low-cost resistive touch options while outperforming today’s advanced
capacitive touch solutions. To do so, Neonode strives to effectively combine
the advantages of each technology into one streamlined solution.
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