Maker Pro
Maker Pro

touchscreen ?

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Neil

Jan 1, 1970
0
Ok, this may not be the group to ask this question, but since the people on
here so knowledgeable...I thought I would give it a spin. I work in a VERY
dirty industrial repair area, and I would like to set up a touchscreen
monitor for the repair guys to look up parts diagrams, and schematics.
Unfortunately the mouse and keyboard get very dirty in this environment, so
I would like to know if its possible to set up a touchscreen based database.
what software and hardware should I be looking at for such a installation?
Thanks,
Kim
 
K

Ken Taylor

Jan 1, 1970
0
Neil said:
Ok, this may not be the group to ask this question, but since the people on
here so knowledgeable...I thought I would give it a spin. I work in a VERY
dirty industrial repair area, and I would like to set up a touchscreen
monitor for the repair guys to look up parts diagrams, and schematics.
Unfortunately the mouse and keyboard get very dirty in this environment, so
I would like to know if its possible to set up a touchscreen based database.
what software and hardware should I be looking at for such a installation?
Thanks,
Kim
Why not use an industrial keyboard with a touch-pad instead of mouse-ball.
Search on 'industrial keyboard' and look for one with a touch-pad included.
As an example:

http://www.backplane.com.au/DataSheets/tkf_085a_xx_modul.html

Ken
 
M

Martin Riddle

Jan 1, 1970
0
RDP makes a nice touch screen unit, with a fold out key board. Runs XP. Sealed keyboards. Heavy construction. Tuff. You can put it
on the shop floor.
see.. www.rdpdisplays.com/
USA and UK

Have fun
 
F

Frank Bemelman

Jan 1, 1970
0
Neil said:
Ok, this may not be the group to ask this question, but since the people on
here so knowledgeable...I thought I would give it a spin. I work in a VERY
dirty industrial repair area, and I would like to set up a touchscreen
monitor for the repair guys to look up parts diagrams, and schematics.
Unfortunately the mouse and keyboard get very dirty in this environment, so
I would like to know if its possible to set up a touchscreen based database.
what software and hardware should I be looking at for such a installation?

Do the guys a favour and give them an *optical* mouse, and a cheap
keyboard. Replace the mouse every year, and the keyboard every 4 months.
That's less than $100 a year.
 
P

Paul Hovnanian P.E.

Jan 1, 1970
0
Neil said:
Ok, this may not be the group to ask this question, but since the people on
here so knowledgeable...I thought I would give it a spin. I work in a VERY
dirty industrial repair area, and I would like to set up a touchscreen
monitor for the repair guys to look up parts diagrams, and schematics.
Unfortunately the mouse and keyboard get very dirty in this environment, so
I would like to know if its possible to set up a touchscreen based database.
what software and hardware should I be looking at for such a installation?
Thanks,
Kim

There are several technologies that are suitable for pointing devices in
such environments. Touchscreens, touchpads, membrane keyboards, etc.

You will have to evaluate each one in conjunction with the application
user interface. An interface which requires a lot of keyboard entry will
be the biggest challenge. Even membrane keyboards will be less than
ideal. If there isn't much typing to do, then the membrane keyboard will
suffice. Or you could eliminate the keyboards and emulate the keyboard
on screen (operable with a pointing device, mouse, touch screen, etc.).
You will also have to consider the size and complexity of the screen
menus if you go to a touch screen. It is difficult for operators to use
a touch screen (and smaller touch pads) if the menu items were designed
for mouse operation. I've seen touch screen systems with pull down menus
that were difficult to use with a mouse, let alone fat fingers.

I've seen a rather interesting mouse replacement which consisted of a
joystick and buttons (all environmentally sealed). It didn't take long
for the operators to get used to moving the mouse pointer around the
screen with the joystick instead of a mouse or trackball. But we still
had to keep the number of screen 'buttons' down and their size big
enough so aiming the mouse didn't become a precision skill.
 
J

JeffM

Jan 1, 1970
0
I work in a VERY dirty industrial repair area,
Do the guys a favour and give them an *optical* mouse,
Replace the mouse every year

Brillant. Its contamination-free nature
(bottom only--no ball) hadn't even occured to me.

and a cheap keyboard

Yup. No need to go exotic on this one.
I've this seen solved hundreds of times
using a silicone cover (a skin) for the keyboard.
[Replace] the keyboard every 4 months

With a skin, the need for replacement won't be due to schmutz;
it will because of impatient guys banging on the keys.
(I confess. I'm one of those.)


....and Neil, what were you going to do about
all the greasy fingerprints (which will quickly obscure the screen)?
 
F

Frank Bemelman

Jan 1, 1970
0
JeffM said:
Do the guys a favour and give them an *optical* mouse,
Replace the mouse every year

Brillant. Its contamination-free nature
(bottom only--no ball) hadn't even occured to me.

and a cheap keyboard

Yup. No need to go exotic on this one.
I've this seen solved hundreds of times
using a silicone cover (a skin) for the keyboard.
[Replace] the keyboard every 4 months

With a skin, the need for replacement won't be due to schmutz;
it will because of impatient guys banging on the keys.
(I confess. I'm one of those.)

Skins are nice, but they only fit when bought together with
a suitable keyboard, and then you often pay a rather high
price. Otherwise they never fit. Even the wireless keyboards
are pretty cheap these days, and also affordable to replace.

Remove the dirt by banging them upside down on the edge of
the table. Don't be afraid to bang hard, replace if need
be ;-) You can buy a ten years supply of cheap keyboards and
still spend less money compared to a 'real' industrial keyboard.

Only in food industry you need an expensive keyboard
with IP67 protection or something. The cleanup guys
break everything with their steam cleaners.
 
T

Tom Del Rosso

Jan 1, 1970
0
In JeffM typed:
Brillant. Its contamination-free nature
(bottom only--no ball) hadn't even occured to me.

If there is grease in the environment then it can still obscure the lens
on the bottom of the optical mouse. I think the touch pad is better.
I've seen them for $10.
 
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