Barcelona -- Electroactive polymers offer precise, accurate touchscreen operations for mobile phones, Bayer MaterialScience and its subsidiary Artificial Muscle have said.
The company is due to showcase its solutions for manufacturing smartphones using electroactive polymers and polycarbonate films at the GSMA Mobile World Congress from 14 Feb in Barcelona.
Touchscreens on mobile phones work by interpreting electronic signals from a user's fingertips. Bayer said that a major issue with current touchscreen applications on the market is that users sometimes do not know whether touching the display "has really triggered the desired command."
But, the company said in the 14 Feb statement, its electroactive polymers offer new possibilities for quick, accurate tactile feedback. These materials change shape when voltage is applied, and are also referred to as artificial muscles.
"These polymers are particularly suited to applications in mobile electronic devices, where they make users feel feedback on touchscreens," explains Elisa Picasso from Bayer MaterialScience. "When you activate the touchscreen, the polymers provide tactile feedback, which can be precisely adjusted to meet given requirements."
Bayer said this aspect distinguished the technology from the mechanical vibration solutions currently available.
The GSMA Mobile World Congress exhibition, one of Europe's leading mobile communications trade shows, will be in held from 14-17 Feb in Barcelona, Spain. LMH
"
