MICROTOUCH™ CELEBRATES 40TH ANNIVERSARY
MicroTouch, the global leader in capacitive touch solutions, celebrates over 40 years as an innovator in touch technology, with more than 50 million touchscreen installations in 80 countries worldwide, and 100-plus patents. Here’s a look back at where we began and a look ahead to where we’re going.
A Touch of History
In February 1982, former CEO, James Logan, formed MicroTouch in the laundry room of a house in Wayland, MA, with an initial business plan of developing touchscreen software for PCs. He succeeded beyond all expectations.
Back in the day, touch technology was competing with the mouse as the interface of the future. Today, while not every desk is mouse-free, MicroTouch provides a wealth of touch-driven business solutions for the retail, gaming, hospitality, healthcare, fitness, industrial automation, financial markets, and many others.
As a product of the 80s, MicroTouch was an industry icon that took the entertainment industry’s vision of the future which included much more than human-machine interaction—such as Dillinger’s touchscreen desk in Tron, and TV hits like Knight Rider and Star Trek TNG—and made it a reality.
In February 2021, TES America, LLC, acquired certain assets from 3M® TouchSystems, most notably MicroTouch itself. TES subsequently introduced MicroTouch with a new brand image, renewed vision and expanded line of projected capacitive touch monitors. And MicroTouch was Back with a Boom!
Today, MicroTouch technology is making business and commercial transactions easier everywhere; from self-checkout in department stores and supermarkets, self-check-in at airports, gaming machines in casinos, through patient care and monitoring in hospitals and clinics, interactive exhibits at museums, trader stations at the stock exchange, to automated assembly lines. One of our recent growth markets, and an excellent example of how our touch technology has progressed since the days of the laundry room, is home fitness. Reflect fitness mirrors are some of the most effective pieces of home workout technology around where a higher proportion of people now exercise at home.
MicroTouch has drawn together some of the industry’s most knowledgeable touch technology professionals and industry veterans. We take a consultative approach using our seasoned experience, encompassing 40 years of proven touch solutions. This experience, spread over a broad variety of markets, allows us to pay special attention to customers’ needs and assist them to design their own specific—often unique—application and/or environment.
Ready When You Are
Our products are shipping now. In an industry that’s struggling with product availability and to meet the demands of customers worldwide, our factory-direct, single supply chain process not only provides the highest quality of capacitive technology, but also brings unmatched efficiency and flexibility.
MicroTouch Milestones
During our 40 years as one of the leaders in touch technology, there have been a number of highlights along the way. Here are some key MicroTouch Moments:
1982 – MicroTouch was founded by former CEO, James Logan
1985 – Capacitive technology was commercialized
1986 – MicroTouch partnered with ViewTouch® and Atari™ to demonstrate the first graphical touchscreen POS software at Comdex
1992 – MicroTouch launched as the first public touch screen company
1995 – Introduced the first touch and pen input device for CRT displays
1996 – Introduced Ibid the first computerized whiteboard, designed to move collaboration from the corner office to every corner of the office
1997 – Introduced TruePoint SpaceSaver a 10.4” LCD, one of the thinnest touch monitors on the market at that time
2001 – 3M® acquired MicroTouch, rebrands to 3M Touch Systems, and was combined with 3M’s previously acquired DynaPro touch screens
2004 – Unveils break-through touch technology known as Dispersive Signal Technology as a fundamentally different approach to touch
2004 – Introduces new generation of ClearTek Capacitive Touch Solutions greatly improving optical clarity
2007 – Flex Capacitive Touch Sensors launched, ideal for high volume mobile display products such as cell phones, PDAs, MP3 players and navigation systems
2009 – One of the few and first touch vendors to achieve “Windows Touch Additional Qualification status” giving full 10 touch and gestures. Principles still in use today
2011 – Introduces Touch Pen for consumers and users of touch screen devices
2013 – Features an 84” multi-touch display at CES with expansive on-screen collaboration space and high-performance multi-touch technology for display wall or interactive table
2014 – Introduces multi-touch solutions for interactive digital signage applications at CES
2021 – TES America acquired MicroTouch brand from 3M TouchSystems
2021 – MicroTouch brand relaunched with renewed purpose and vision. Back with a Boom!
2021 – Partnered with BlueStar and Metropolitan Sales to distribute leading capacitive solutions across the globe
2021 – Further expands line of PCAP touch monitors and introduces All-in-One touch computer with Windows OS
2022 – MicroTouch celebrates 40-year anniversary, looking beyond what’s possible today and making those visions a reality for tomorrow
MicroTouch Today & Tomorrow
Driven by a history and culture of innovation, MicroTouch is a global leader in the touch solutions market, offering a broad product mix of components, monitors and touch computers, with the highest efficiency and flexibility in the industry via regional engineering, local customer support and global warehousing capabilities. We remain the standard-bearer for interactive device development and capacitive solutions, providing unsurpassed touch solutions and service to customers worldwide.
MicroTouch. Making Life Simple with The Power of Touch.