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Touch Technology Devoted to Gaming(Play Machine Magazine, March 2002) As well as a new website designed specifically for the amusement market, at the ATEI trade show Elo TouchSystems presented a new line of open-frame touch and non-touch gaming monitors.
Elo TouchSystems, one of the two only touchscreen technology manufacturers in the world, has presented to the European market a new family of 15, 17 and 19 inch CRT open-frame gaming monitors, available with or without Elo's breakthrough iTouch touch-on-tube technology. We met Elo's gaming market manager Mike Sigona at the ATEI 2002 trade show, where the new line of products was officially launched. "Our new gaming monitors are designed as a direct result of feed-back from game developers" he explained. "We responded to their needs by delivering a line of high-quality monitors with new features and greater reliability, and with competitive pricing. We now offer a larger product range, including both touch and non-touch monitors, providing a single-source supply point for our customers. Elo currently offers more than 30 CRT and LCD models, in 80 standard product variations." What is the added value of Elo's monitors? "We have over ten years' experience as manufacturers of touch monitors. Our monitors incorporate proven basic circuits from desktop monitors, but specifically designed to withstand the rigors of the gaming and amusement industry. You never expect your desktop monitor to fail, and the same, we think, should be true with your gaming monitor."
What are the technical features of this new line of monitors? "The new monitors are designed with a small footprint, so that they can fit into machine makers' existing cabinets. The main electronics board measures only 20x25cm, but it is packed with features such as digital computer-grade video quality up to 1024x758 @ 85Hz and a 0.25 dot pitch, built-in power, deflection, video test, multilingual remote on-screen display, universal auto-switching power supply." Which is the touch technology incorporated in the touchscreens? "Our iTouch 'touch-on-tube' technology, of course, which is able to preserve 100% of picture quality. Normally, the addition of touch technology to a monitor comes at a price: reduced picture quality. The iTouch technology senses touches through surface waves on the CRT faceplate itself as, unlike traditional systems, which are applied on a piece of glass that is then integrated into the monitor, the iTouch is applied directly on the CRT faceplate. While coated glass overlays diffuse image quality, alter colours and are prone to breakage, iTouch ensures that the monitor displays the same perfect picture quality, bright colours and clear graphics, whether ordered with or without a touch interface." How does the iTouch system work exactly? "Using ultrasonic waves on the glass, the controller develops a digital map of the surface. A finger, gloved hand or soft stylus absorbs a portion of the waves travelling across the surface. The resulting change in the received signal is analysed by the controller and digitalised into X and Y coordinates. A third coordinate, Elo's unique Z-axis, senses pressure by measuring how much signal is absorbed."
It seems Elo is investing in the gaming applications for their monitors and touch systems. "The entertainment industry is currently one of the most interesting applications for the touchscreen technology, as well as one of the most demanding as far as the quality and durability of the product is concerned. Our commitment to the leisure industry is proved by the fact that in the last year iTouch monitors have been adopted by some of the largest manufacturers in the world for their next-generation games. To further develop the gaming applications of our system, we have launched a specific website designed for the gaming and amusement market, which was presented during the London trade show. The site, whose aim is to aid game developers, features extensive detail on the products and services, as well as installation tips for hardware and software integration. We decided to make this a gaming knowledge base, packed with detailed information on our products, technology comparisons and Elo services. Not only is it easy to navigate throughout the site, online help is only a few clicks away through our virtual technician at 'Web Tech', Elo's online diagnostics." itbox under Your Fingertips
Leisure Link, one of the world's largest providers of out-of-home entertainment solutions, operating more than 90,000 pay-to-play machines in the UK's leisure retail market, has chosen Elo TouchSystems' iTouch technology for its latest product. Called itbox, the new machine is a full entertainment system which includes games, music, video clips, e-commerce, promotions and much more, all available from a single machine. "itbox's touchscreen-driven terminal features an exciting and striking new design which will draw the consumer towards it. The touchscreen and monitor play an important role in the effectiveness of the machine, and in its success as an interactive machine" explained Chris Simon, Leisure Link's marketing director. "However, the key to the machine success is its content. The itbox delivers whatever entertainment the establishment wants, whenever it is required. It can be programmed to enable family content earlier in the day and to automatically switch to a different form of entertainment and alternative services in the evening. What is most important is that the machine can be changed and updated remotely and frequently to ensure users do not tire of the content." With the itbox, the leisure site managers simply choose the content and the times they wish to present the selections. The programmable content ranges from traditional puzzle and quiz games with tournament capabilities, video clips of films, chart music and albums, through to sports action and footage from the most recent two seasons of football. Users simply choose their requirements using the touchscreen display and pay for the services with coins, notes or credit cards. |
