Transportation systems, vehicles and vessels are operated in a wide range of terrestrial, subterranean, atmospheric, and marine environments so the display and touch technologies used in these systems need to provide dependable operation under a wide range of operating environments and conditions – such as temperature extremes, temperature change, magnetic and electrical noise, mechanical shock and vibration, ultraviolet radiation, and liquid/fluid substances.
AMT develops and supplies PCap (projected capacitive) touch panels that are specified to an automotive standard operating temperature range of -40°C to +85°C, and a storage temperature range of -50°C to +90°C. Temperature change is tested with thermal cycling of -40°C (30 minutes) to +85°C (30 minutes), for 100 cycles.
Transportation systems and infrastructure equipment are often operated extensively in outdoor environments, and as a necessity need to be able to withstand prolonged exposure to direct sunlight. A system that is unprotected and subjected to extended UV (ultraviolet) radiation can cause yellowing, hazing, and material degradation.
Consequently, AMT PCap touchscreen solutions have been successfully tested to strict industry standards including accelerated UV ageing and weathering standard ASTM G154 Cycle 1 - 1,000 hours, and environmental conditions standard MIL-STD-810H Pro 1 - 1,000 hours.
Light reflection in high ambient light environments can also impact display image clarity and visibility. Optical bonding is used to eliminate internal air gaps which reduces internal reflections and refraction effects. AMT offers touch panels with a Low-Reflective (LR) design, to aid and assist improved image legibility in bright light conditions.
Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) is also important. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations require all devices installed on aircraft to pass certification to DO-160 Environmental Conditions and Test Procedures for Airborne Equipment. Employing suitable integration and firmware adjustment, AMT PCAP touch solutions can meet DO-160 Conducted RF Emission at 150KHz to 152MHz and Radiated RF Emission at 100MHz to 6000MHz test standards. AMT’s hardware and software design solutions enable excellent electromagnetic immunity for all transportation applications.
Operator displays on public transport systems will often adopt dual-screen redundancy designs to mitigate against unexpected failure circumstances. A dual-screen operator display can incorporate two touchscreens using just one piece of integrated cover glass. The electric fields generated between the two projected capacitive (PCap) touch screens, however, have the potential to interfere with each other. To address this, AMT uses different signal frequencies to mitigate the problem of interference and ensure dual-screen applications can be successfully deployed.
A wide range AMT PCap touch solutions, peripheral components and engineering support are now available from Review Display Systems.
