For all applications that need to be compatible with existing systems, 4:3 panels with analog resistive touch screens are also available. This makes it possible to continue using HMI applications at their current resolution with the latest PC platform without having to modify the software a single bit.
Multi-touch panels open up new dimensions for innovative HMI design. There are numerous gestures that might be used in an application: zooming in and out and rotating objects with two fingers, scrolling through lists and switching to the next screen with a quick swipe. The main advantage of multi-touch technology is how it makes operation more intuitive. At the same time, two-hand gestures for critical or potentially dangerous operations provide an effective way of preventing unintentional operator errors. Multi-touch displays are supported by the operating systems Windows 10 IoT Enterprise 2016 LTSB, Windows Embedded 8.1 Industry Pro, Windows 7 Professional/Ultimate and Windows Embedded Standard 7 Premium.
The second generation of Automation Panels also serves as the technical basis for B&R's Panel PC devices. This modular platform strategy results in a product portfolio with extraordinary flexibility.
The core component is the panel itself, which is transformed into an Automation Panel by adding a modular Smart Display Link receiver. Alternatively, using Smart Display Link 3 opens up additional possibilities for spanning longer distances and even easier cabling. Adding a PC unit turns the same panel into a full-fledged Panel PC with scalable processing performance. Using the same front-side platform reduces the amount of warehouse space required for replacement parts. Custom variants using Automation Panels and Panel PCs require only a single base unit.
This innovative PC design is based on Intel Bay Trail architecture, whose single-, dual- and quad-core processor technology represents a milestone for embedded systems – all while offering an optimal price/performance ratio.