New SmartKiosks incorporating rugged touch screens installed in UK prisons

Our objective was to develop and implement a self-service touch screen kiosk for the safe and secure delivery of key facilities to prisoners, said Graham Kemp, sales and marketing manager of Nemacom. In addition to improving service provision, of utmost importance was the product's ability to withstand environments susceptible to accidental and malicious activity, as glass breakages can present a serious safety risk to both inmates and staff.

Other competitive products were considered for this application, but the 3M MicroTouch System SCT7650EX was selected for its exceptional durability and reliability, which is essential in harsh conditions. Nemacom has been integrating 3M technology for many years and we can always trust the company for its high quality products and support, Graham continued.

The SmartKiosk features a fully integrated 17-inch 3M MicroTouch System SCT7650EX flat panel TFT LCD capacitive touch screen, PC, fingerprint reader, 3-inch thermal printer and is sealed to IP65, protecting against dust and low pressure water. Hardware has been limited so the only input for the kiosk is via the touch screen.

3M MicroTouch System SCT7650EX has an optically-clear laminated glass-on-glass construction with superior impact resistance and 86.5 per cent light transmission for brighter, crisper display images. The laminated construction meets EN/UL 60950-1 impact resistance safety standards and provides the necessary surface durability for rugged, unattended, public-access environments. If surface breakage occurs due to extraordinary impact, the lamination helps isolate the glass shards between the touch surface and LCD to protect the user. A conductive, adhesive-bonded flexible circuit tail replaces traditional solder connections and wire leads to facilitate a superior liquid and dust seal between the touch sensor and display bezel.

We are very excited to be part of this new rugged application providing an enhanced self-service solution to prisons, said Francesco Fasoglio, EMEA Business Development Manager, 3M Touch Systems. Our 3M MicroTouch System SCT7650EX has been specially designed for unattended or damage prone, heavy-use environments, so high performance and optical viewing is achieved, not compromised.