Canatu Partners with VIA Optronics to Deliver High Contrast Touch Panel Displays Using CNB™ Sensors
Helsinki (PRWEB UK) 22 May 2014 -- With the joint manufacture of high contrast touch panel displays and touch modules, Canatu and VIA optronics will target the rapidly-expanding markets of mobile phones, tablets, cameras, wearable consumer devices, white goods, home appliances and automotive displays. The first products are designed for a digital camera and for a medium-sized tablet.
The partnership will use CNB™ (Carbon NanoBud®) sensors and VIA optronics’ direct bonding lamination techniques to develop a new generation of products in need of high contrast and outdoor readability such as laptops, tablets, mobile phones, wearable devices, digital cameras, and industrial and automotive displays.
Canatu’s transparent, conductive CNB™ Films and touch sensors are premier replacements for the more commonly used transparent conductive material ITO (Indium Tin Oxide) used in touch displays and touch sensitive surfaces. The non-ITO transparent conductor market is expected to grow to $4 billion by 2020. (1)
CNB™ is not limited by the brittleness or metal fatigue associated with ITO or metal mesh structures. Compared to ITO, CNB™ Films and touch sensors can offer up to 40% higher display contrast in well-designed, direct bonded touch displays due to ultra-low reflectance and haze. Due to its record-breaking stretchability, at times up to 100%, CNB™ Film also makes the creation of brand new kinds of printed flexible, foldable and 3D shaped touch-enabled electronics products possible. Production costs and performance of the CNB™ sensors are competitive with the existing and emerging transparent conductors in the markets.
Cooperation with VIA optronics strengthens Canatu’s supply chain network with excellent module knowledge.
“We are pleased to partner with VIA optronics to leverage their expertise in manufacturing enhanced touch modules and displays with VIA’s unique optical bonding in combination with our CNB™ sensors,” says Risto Vuohelainen, CEO at Canatu. “Now we are able to deliver end-to-end solutions of touch and touch display modules for brand original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). Ready-made, custom modules can be integrated seamlessly with device manufacturers own processes,” continues Vuohelainen.
“We were looking for high optical performance alternative technologies to replace ITO-based transparent conductors and were glad to find Canatu as one of our partners,” says Juergen Eichner, CEO at VIA optronics. “With Canatu’s groundbreaking zero reflectance technology and our innovative direct bonding process, we have a high performance solution to answer to the drastically increasing market demand, driven from Tablet PC, Notebooks and automotive markets to provide them with the optimal touch functionalities,” continues Eichner.
VIA optronics’ manufacturing facilities with clean room technology are located in Germany and China. The company has several major customers in different market segments. All products from VIA optronics are designed for industrial and mobile applications or other rough environments. CNB™ Films and touch sensors will be manufactured and delivered from Canatu’s own factory in Helsinki, Finland.
For additional information, please contact:
Erkki Soininen, Vice President Marketing and Sales, Canatu Oy, tel. +358-40-574-1504, erkki(dot)soininen(at)canatu(dot)com
(1) Non-ITO Transparent Conductor Technologies, Supply Chain and Market Forecast
http://informationdisplay.org/IDArchive/2013/JulyAugust/Opinion.aspx
About Canatu
Canatu (http://www.canatu.com) is a leading developer and manufacturer of transparent conductive films and touch sensors for an entirely new class of touch applications. Canatu’s transparent conductive films and touch sensors are based on a new type of carbon nanomaterial (Carbon NanoBud®), and a new, single-step manufacturing process combining aerosol synthesis of CNB material and Roll-to-Roll deposition by Direct Dry Printing®. Canatu offers consumer electronics companies the ultimate design freedom with its innovative patents.
About VIA optronics
VIA optronics (http://www.via-optronics.com) is a fast growing market leader globally, supplying sunlight readable LCD solutions. In order to cater to the increasing market demand for touch enabled systems, VIA has launched a PCAP – HMI line, ranging from 4.3“ up to 19“, combining optically bonded PCAP touch panels with different brightness versions of VIA display solutions. For maximum design freedom, the cover lens and mechanical frame can be customized to easily fit existing mechanical designs or allow easy design into new systems. The Germany and China based manufacturing facilities with clean room technology are set up for high volume production. VIA optronics GmbH is privately held and has won several awards as a technology leader.
Products from VIA optronics are used in many different applications where sunlight readability, mechanical robustness, vivid colours and long availability are important. This includes but is not limited to portable devices, handhelds, meters, medical systems, navigation units, industrial automation, POS- and kiosk-terminals and many more.
Anne Irmola, Canatu Ltd, +358 505663854, [email protected]
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