Dirt, grit and moisture will be no match for Zytronic's Projected Capacitive Technology's touch sensors -- at least that's the bet Australian kiosk manufacturer FM Scanu has made.

It recently announced it will include Zytronic's "highly durable touch sensors" in systems deployed with mining giant BHP Billiton.

According to a press release, the ruggedized kiosks are designed to aid the management of mine personnel. BHP Billiton miners will use the 17-inch ZYPOS touch sensor to obtain occupational health and safety information in a busy mine environment.

Leo Scanu, CEO of FM Scanu, said it's crucial that the touch screen be capable of reliable operation in areas filled with coal dust, grit moisture and heavy use. It also needed to be able to function when touched by gloved or dirty hands, without risk of damage or impaired performance.

"Nothing of this kind has been possible to use at mining sites in the past, as the conditions that the kiosks would have to contend with were simply too difficult. This left a big void that needed to be filled," Scanu said. "We looked at many other touchscreens, but with the close support of Zytronic's local distributor, JEA Technologies, we decided upon ZYPOS as it offered the best combination of cost and performance."

The PCT touch-sensing mechanism developed by Zytronic comprises a matrix of micro-fine copper capacitors embedded within a laminated substrate and detects the lightest touch through a proprietary form of projected capacitive touch sensing based on frequency modulation, according to the press release.

As a result of this high level of sensitivity, the sensor can be constructed from very thick glass or placed safely behind and operated through a thick protective overlay of glass, plastic or other non-conductive material. This means the sensor and its operation is effectively impervious to extreme climatic conditions, liquids, severe scratches, vibration, or the build up of dirt -- factors likely to stifle the performance of almost all other touch sensing technologies, such as resistive or surface capacitive.

"Its rugged specifications and the ease with which it could be incorporated into our design meant that we can finally address this need," Scanu said. "We are already planning further deployments of this kind."

Ian Crosby, Zytronic's director of sales and marketing, said the technology is capable of outperforming other touch-screen solutions on the market and tackling applications where deploying touch interactivity was previously thought impossible.

Also, unlike infrared, optical or acoustic touch sensor techniques, PCT is not prone to drift over time and can be completely sealed into IP67 enclosures, making it highly optimized for demanding industrial, outdoor and/ or public-use touch interactivity.

ZYPOS is part of Zytronic's range of standard off-the-shelf projected capacitive touch sensors available in sizes between 7 inches and 20.1 inches.