Mobile Equipment

From mobile phones to PDAs, tablet PCs and beyond, the mobile equipment field is expanding apace. Mobile devices compatible with a plethora of services including email, the World Wide Web, music playback, blogging, video, commerce, PC application linkage, etc., are steadily improving in quality and running personal computers a close race.

In order to enable maximum use of the advanced services of today's highly functional mobile equipment, input interface improvement is becoming an increasingly important factor. For example, in the case of mobile phones, at present all input processes have to be carried out using just a few keys, so research and development aimed at optimizing the input interface is continuing. The development of new input interfaces is widely anticipated for all kinds of mobile equipment, and pen-input devices are among the most powerful candidates for adoption.

At present, the vast majority of PDAs are equipped with pen-input devices. Some of these products also incorporate a small keyboard, but almost all of them feature pen input, and in many cases this is accomplished by means of a built-in resistive sensor. On the other hand, sensors based on Wacom Penabled Technology boast a number of original features that resistive sensors don't have. These features open up exciting possibilities for mobile equipment that cannot be realized using resistive sensors.

Problems with Resistive Sensors

In the case of resistive sensors, switching on the sensor is accomplished by physically pressing with a stylus or a finger on the semi-transparent resistive film mounted in front of the display. The structure is simple, but because the resistive sensor itself is exposed on the front of the device, it can easily be damaged through rough use or direct impact, so questions remain over its durability. Also, since the sensor must be mounted in front of the display, there is a tradeoff in terms of the display's brightness and color display quality. And on top of this, resistive sensor use is constrained by the following problems.
- A substantial "dead area" is formed around the periphery of the display.
- The relative thickness of display/sensor section imposes restrictions on the product's industrial design.

How EMR^® Technology Overcomes These Problems

As a newer development than the resistive sensor, EMR^® Technology has been designed to overcome the older technology's diverse problems. Firstly, the sensor is installed behind the display, so the quality and brightness of the display image are not compromised, which means that the 100% display's original beauty is maintained. In addition, the sensor unit can be made thinner, lighter and stronger than in the case of a resistive sensor, and it can be manufactured at a lower cost.

1. Operating on a non-contact system, sensors utilizing EMR^® Technology are capable of detecting coordinates accurately even when the pen is held in the air without touching the sensor board, thereby allowing the front of the display to be protected by a hard transparent glass or acrylic panel, etc. By protecting the components from dust, humidity and impact shock, this construction contributes to a remarkable improvement in overall device reliability.
2. With EMR Technology, the sensor unit is installed behind the display screen. Because the sensor does not cover the front of the display, the quality and brightness of the displayed image are not compromised.
3. In addition to not damaging the display quality, EMR^® Technology eliminates the need to set the backlighting to high brightness, thereby saving power and making possible a longer period of operation between recharges, one of the most important criteria for any mobile device.
4. The system's low power consumption also contributes to extending the product's life.
5. Thin and lightweight design becomes possible.
6. The cordless electronic pen is made from very simple parts and can be manufactured at low cost. Also, the battery-less pen design naturally eliminates the need for battery exchange.
7. All Penabled Technology brand electronic pens are mutually compatible, and can also be used to perform the basic operations of pens designed for use with other equipment.
8. EMR^® Technology-based sensors can detect a pen's coordinates with high precision, perform high-speed sampling and process the results to obtain precise handwriting information, which also leads to an improved recognition of gestures.

High precision and high brightness suitable for outdoor use, low power consumption which is an important factor in mobile operation, and a robust design that includes excellent dust-proof and vibration-proof characteristics thanks to the use of a non-contact sensor and a protection plate. The only pen-input devices that boast all of these features are EMR^® Technology-based sensors.

Hybridization of EMR^® Technology and the Resistive Sensor Opens up Even Further Possibilities

In place of the high level functions of EMR^® Technology-based sensors, resistive sensors have the advantage of accepting input by direct touching with a finger tip or an ordinary pen (as long as the pressure is not so high as to damage the sensor). Accordingly, they can be operated without the use of an exclusive pen.
To take advantage of this feature, Wacom has developed a new sensor system that combines an EMR^® Technology-based sensor and a resistive sensor. By putting together the controls of both systems in a compact package, we have further expanded the choice of pen-input devices for set makers while facilitating easy system construction.