Electronic components provider Schurter is highlighting its input systems with antimicrobial surfaces. 

Input systems via touch are widely used in industry and medical technology as well as in the public sector to operate various devices.

However, touch intensive surfaces cause a health risk. Diseases can be transmitted through contact infections. An input system with an antimicrobial surface can counteract this.

There are chemical and physical antimicrobial mechanisms of action. These can be used in the choice of materials for input systems. For example, there are possibilities to use antibacterial glasses or flexible, silver-coated polyester films as well as surface-treated housings. However, all antimicrobial surfaces achieve only limited effectiveness.

To ensure that the device can be disinfected as easily as possible, it is important that input systems have no dirty edges. In the case of PCAP touch panels, the entire front is made of glass and the all-around minimal gap to the housing is filled. Membrane switches with display integration, also with resistive touch screens, are realised with a continuous highly transparent front foil without a window cut-out in the display area.

Alternatively, technologies for contactless input are available.