Zytronic Plays an Integral Role in Enabling Next Generation Shopping Amenities

Zytronic, with the support of its Australian distributor JEA Technologies, has been selected by retail digital media specialist Yeahpoint, for an exciting new interactive project it is undertaking on behalf of leading SE Asian telecom operator SingTel. The Singapore-based company will, as a result of this, use Zytronic’s ZYBRID touch sensing technology in a major update to its chain of retail outlets, providing customers with a stunning degree of interaction.

Visitors to the concept stores will benefit from the presence of numerous high-profile touch screens located throughout. Access to information on SingTel’s full range of products and services will be possible via large, stylish terminals and attractive, intuitive graphical user interfaces (GUI).

As centrepieces to each store, Sydney based Yeahpoint has also developed and built touch-enabled interactive tables, using a number of 42 inch ZYBRID touch sensors operating through the printed and toughened glass overlays, meaning that customers no longer have to wait for the availability of store assistants, and can instead browse through and immediately download to their phones an extensive library of music, games and videos. The touch tables also provide the SingTel store employees with a customer validation and queue management system. Fully customisable ZYBRID touch sensors are based on Zytronic’s proprietary Projected Capacitive Technology (PCT™), which enables touch screen functionality to be delivered in a way that allows for sleek, full glass fronted, bezel-free designs, which are not only attractive and modern in appearance, but also much less prone to wear and tear than other touchscreen technologies. The sensing element, which comprises an XY matrix of 10 micron copper capacitors, is located behind - and therefore well protected by - the touch surface and can detect touch through a thick plastic or glass overlay, (such as a shop window or table top), even with a gloved finger. With no attenuating coatings, PCT also delivers an inherently high light transmission, making it an ideal touch solution for deployment outdoors in direct sunlight or in brightly lit shopping malls for example.

Drift-free ZYBRID is ultra tough and completely scalable, allowing touch-enabled displays up 82 inches in size to be produced today, and with larger sizes planned for the future. Furthermore, optional enhancements can be specified such as special optical filters and borders or logos screen printed directly on the rear of the PCT sensor. Ian Crosby, Sales and Marketing Director at Zytronic, sees this as an excellent example of the increasing level of public-user interactivity now being deployed in high street retail environments, “Touch screens in retail are no longer limited to behind-the-counter tills and POS machines” he stated. “With the use of the ZYBRID sensors, Yeahpoint has been able to put full interactivity reliably at the fingertips of SingTel’s tech savvy customer base, providing them with a unique shopping experience.”

“ZYBRID is a much more rugged and versatile touchscreen solution compared with those offered by alternative technologies, and it can deal with the often harsh treatment that has to be expected in a store environment,” says Matt Cudworth, Chief Technology Officer, Yeahpoint. “The counter tops and tables are particularly susceptible to everyday wear and tear – visitors to the store may drop heavy shopping bags on them, spill drinks or accidentally scratch the surface with jewellery, for example. If another touch technology had been deployed there would have been the risk of damage to the touchscreen by such occurrences, leading to downtime and ultimately a poor customer experience. Furthermore, the design flexibility that ZYBRID offers meant that we could specify different size formats to suit the window and counter display requirements.”