Zytronic touchscreens fitted to UK train ticket machines

Zytronic has provided the touchscreen for ticket vending machines (TVMs) that are being rolled out at stations across the UK’s rail network.

The kiosks were initially installed and trialled at Gatwick Airport by Govia Thameslink Railway, which was looking for a TVM design with a large, full-screen interface.

The TVMs support the ambitions of the Williams-Schapps Plan for Rail strategy to improve the ticket-purchasing experience for rail users. The large, easy-to-clean surface is made from a single piece of elongated glass, which protects the two displays. A top screen provides travel information and targeted content, while the bottom one is touch active for selecting and buying tickets.

Zytronic and its UK partner, Display Technology, won the contract because of Zytronic’s ability to customise the projected capacitive touch sensors to meet the client’s requirements. The company’s willingness to produce low volumes for initial product development was also a factor.

As the TVMs are mainly unsupervised, their elongated surface is made from 6mm-thick, thermally toughened glass which was custom machined and printed at Zytronic’s manufacturing facility in the UK. The interactive lower screen utilises Zytronic’s ZyBrid touch technology and ZXY500 multi-touch controller. Similar to a smartphone’s touchscreen, the interactive area of the TVM provides a millisecond-fast, accurate-touch response, enabling users to interact easily with the ticket-purchasing software – even when wearing gloves.

For more information about Zytronic’s multi-touch sensor technology, click here.