What is the difference between IR touch and capacitive touch?

**Operational Principles**  

- Infrared (IR) touch uses beams of light; when interrupted by a finger/object, the touch position is detected. Supports up to 40-point multi-touch, ideal for group collaboration.  

- Capacitive touch relies on electrical charge changes when a conductive object (e.g., finger) touches the screen, enabling precise handwriting.  

**Performance**  

- IR touch resists water, dust, and gloves, suitable for outdoor use and large displays (e.g., 86" teaching panels).  

- Capacitive touch is faster (3-5ms response) but sensitive to moisture, requiring conductive input.  

**Applications**  

- IR: Education, outdoor signage, control rooms (rugged, multi-user).  

- Capacitive: Retail kiosks, mobile screens (sleek, precise).  

**Cost & Maintenance**  

IR has higher upfront costs but lower maintenance; capacitive is cheaper to produce but needs occasional calibration.  

For rugged group setups, choose IR; for precision-driven devices, pick capacitive. Explore at [www.cuhub.com](http://www.cuhub.com).