VENDOR PROFILE: 3M Touch Systems
by Paul Doocey
August 1, 2008
Company seeks to conquer the touchscreen space with its latest generation of capacitive products
In today’s electronic world,
touchscreens have become somewhat ubiquitous, used in everything from ATMs to
iPods. However, as the good people at 3M Touch Systems are quick to point out,
just because they are commonplace does not mean all touchscreen systems are
created equal, at least when it comes to the gaming industry.
“We have the
broadest experience of any touch supplier within the gaming segment and provide
that experience to our customers on a daily basis around the globe,” said Scott
Hagermoser, gaming business unit manager for Methuen, Mass.-based 3M Touch
Systems. “Our sensor technology and electronics bring not only the rigorous
laboratory testing one would expect from 3M but also the most field testing of
any touch product in the gaming segment.
Literally, millions of [our] touch systems are in the field being used
daily.”
Formed in 2001 when parent company 3M acquired touch systems
manufacturers Dynapro Thin Films and MicroTouch Systems, 3M Touch Systems
offers a portfolio of touch technologies and hardware designed to meet the
needs of the gaming, commercial entertainment, retail, hospitality,
foodservice, self service, interactive signage and healthcare industries.
Within the gaming space, 3M Touch Systems provides solutions for both the
machine manufacturing and casino operations ends of the business, and the company’s
most successful product to date has been the MicroTouch ClearTek II surface
capacitive touch system, according to Hagermoser. “3M Touch Systems provides
touch sensor and touch electronics components primarily to slot and video card
game manufacturers, as well as replacement products to gaming operators through
gaming distribution channels,” he said. “The MicroTouch ClearTek II touch
system is the current touch-interface standard for the slot gaming
industry.”
The ClearTek II system offers optimized optics that facilitate display
integration and create a more environment-friendly touch screen, according to
company literature. ClearTek II touch screens, combined with the solid
foundation of MicroTouch EX II electronics and robust MicroTouch software,
offer high -endurance solutions for a multitude of touch applications where
robust 24-hour performance, vibrant optics and environmental toughness is
mission critical.
Other MicroTouch products that have carved a space in the gaming industry
include the MicroTouch ToughTouch II, a surface capacitive system specifically
designed for high-volume public access applications; the MicroTouch DST, which
is fast becoming the preferred touch system for large-screen interactive LCD
displays; and MicroTouch EX II, the capacitive touch electronics that power
ClearTek II and ToughTouch II sensors.
Next generation
Lately, however, the 3M Touch Systems product that has garnered the
most gaming interest is the MicroTouch Capacitive TouchSense (MCT)
system. MCT is a next-generation touch interface for gaming machines where players receive tactile feedback on the touch screen
surface as well as the traditional audio and visual cues.
The system is
an enhanced MicroTouch ClearTek II touch system and can either be designed into
future gaming cabinets optimized for tactile touch slot games or retrofitted
into existing on-floor casino games to replace CRT or LCD displays. This system
has allowed game manufacturers to replace their mechanical buttons with a
video-based button panel so players receive tactile feedback similar to
pressing a mechanical button.
By working
with their preferred display integrators, casinos can upgrade their existing
CRTs to tactile touch-enabled LCDs or add tactile touch components to existing
LCDs. Then, tactile touch zones are created (resident in the touch screen
controller’s firmware) to correspond with existing software touch buttons.
Because the tactile touch zones reside within the touch controller and not the
CPU, this upgrade has no impact on the regulated operation of the casino
game.
“[The MCT]
tactile feedback enhancement to the ClearTek II product is destined to be the
next generation touch interface for gaming machines,” Hagermoser said.
Hagermoser
added that GTECH subsidiary Speilo announced they will start using the MCT
system.
The MCT
systems also recently nabbed the top spot in the Top 20 Most Innovative Gaming
Technology Product of 2007, sponsored by Casino Journal. Contest judges said MCT was “an innovative
twist to old games” and that it “takes slot machines to the next level of
interactive play.”
Recognition for a job well done is wonderful,
but Hagermoser was quick to point out that 3M Touch Systems is not resting on
its MCT system laurels. “The gaming business is one of several important
businesses for 3M Touch Systems and we foresee significant growth opportunities
as this segment transitions to server-based gaming over the next several
years.”
Paul Doocey
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