Planar Unveils Line of Multi-Touch LCD Video Walls

Planar Systems, Inc. has become the first display manufacturer to introduce an LCD video wall solution with integrated, multi-touch capabilities. Planar's Clarity(TM) Matrix Touch(TM) provides a turnkey solution for deploying multi-touch video walls in public spaces, interactive signage applications, and commercial and government collaboration rooms.

Clarity Matrix Touch combines DViT(TM) (Digital Vision Touch) technology from SMART Technologies with Planar's ultra-thin LCD video wall system and proprietary ERO(TM) (Extended Ruggedness and Optics(TM)) optically-bonded glass touch surface. The new integrated touch solution is ideal for adding interactivity to busy retail locations, corporate environments, collaborative meeting rooms, and military or utility mapping rooms.

Touch is changing the world of video displays, said Steve Seminario, senior director of product marketing for Planar Systems. Clarity Matrix Touch enables new levels of user interaction, collaboration and annotation previously unachievable with a turnkey video wall solution. Planar makes it easier than ever to specify, install, and maintain a world-class interactive media wall.

Until now, implementing touch on LCD video walls has required integration of third-party components or ground-up custom design from system integrators, requiring significant time and effort. In addition to customized installation and configuration, integrators have had to install large panels of glass in front of the video wall to create a touch-enabled surface and in doing so endure issues associated with complexity of installation and service, increased costs, increased thermal load and compromised visual performance and safety.

Over the past few years, we've witnessed an increasing demand for products that feature our DViT technology as a growing number of customers around the world continue to seek high quality touch and annotation capabilities for larger displays, said Linda Thomas, vice president, products, for SMART Technologies, a leading provider of collaboration solutions. The Clarity Matrix Touch solution will enable customers to deploy larger touch-enabled surfaces quickly and easily to enhance collaboration for all users.

The Clarity Matrix Touch offers the following benefits:

* Easy Installation and Maintenance. Planar'sERO glass is optically bonded to the front of each LCD, eliminating the need for a separate protective surface and enabling modular installation and maintenance. Standard configuration kits streamline installation of the touch system.
* Dual-Touch with Gestures. Users interact with the screen using fingertips and gestures to scroll through menus, expand and shrink images, or create written annotations.
* The ERO Advantage. The proximity of the LCD screen and ERO glass reduces parallax error that can occur when interacting with protective glass surfaces mounted farther from the screen. The bonded glass screen also prevents the buildup of hot air between the glass and the screen. Excessive heat can damage LCD picture quality and shorten the life span of the displays.
* Larger Digital Canvases. The modular design enables larger video walls in different sizes and configurations. The Clarity Matrix Touch will debut in three sizes and configurations: 92-inches (2x2), 130-inches (3x2), and 138-inches (3x3).