…and what is a good multi-touch number?
Multi-touch, in the context of touch screens, refers to the number of simultaneous touch points, or touches, that can be detected. For example 2 point multi-touch is essential for two finger pinch and zoom, such as when you want to zoom in on an image or map.
The number of multi-touch points needed is completely dependent on the requirements and nature of the software applications that will be run on the touch screen.
Some examples:
- 1 point: A application for single user that only has buttons such as an information kiosk, some way-finding, and applications with no functions like pinch & zoom.
- 2 point: Applications where functions like pinch and zoom are relevant. Corporate presentation applications, marketing presentations, mapping, design review and some way-finding.
- More than 2 point: Multi-user applications and some applications may support three, four or even five finger gestures. This might include multi-user marketing applications, corporate applications such as kanban where a few people may interact simultaneously.
- More than 10 point: Applications that might benefit from supporting more than 10 point touch: A large touch table such as in a retail or marketing type application where many users participate simultaneously, object recognition applications that use touch-spot arrangements on the bottom of the objects being detected.
Volanti touch screens are typically 10 point multi-touch as this is more than enough for most use cases and software applications though we do offer more as needed. The actual number of touch points will be limited by the software, up to the limit of the touch-screen itself.
