Touchscreen Behind Glass or Mirror (Magic Mirror)
6 Simple Basics You Need to Know About Touch Through Glass.
We have 35 years of experience in the field of customized touch solutions and control panels. Again and again the question of a touch through glass solution or a Magic Mirror comes up.
Imagine a mirror with an integrated touch monitor, which informs about news, weather and dates when brushing your teeth. Such a solution is very popular in the exclusive hotel sector.
Or a large conference table with integrated touch monitors under a glass top for business customers.
The first question that comes up: How to realize a Touch through Glass solution? We have summarized the 6 most important points for you here.
1. What Problems Can Occur With Touch Through Glass?
Is it possible to mount a touch monitor behind a glass panel and use the touch through the glass? Capacitive touchmonitors only work through relatively thin glass. The touchscreen sensor is matched to the cover glass used. An additional glass pane will usually not work.
Theoretically, it is sufficient to apply more voltage and thus increase the expansion of the touch signal. However, this setting cannot usually be changed on finished touchmonitors.
Summary of error sources:
- Glass is metallized or penetrated with wires (burglary protection)
- Even multiple glazing interferes with the touch signal because of the air layer in between
- Glass is too thick (>8mm)
- Touch signal voltage of the monitor is not sufficient for additional glass pane
Small terminology:
Touchmonitor = Ready-to-use touchmonitor for desk or wall, with integrated touch sensor.
Open frame or built-in monitor = monitor in chassis without housing for easy integration
Touchscreen sensors = glass pane with applied sensor for installation in a monitor
Touch foil = touch sensors on a flexible foil for backside application on a glass plate
ESG glass (toughened safety glass) is a chemically or thermally tempered glass. During the manufacturing process the glass is hardened. This results in a 3-4 times higher load capacity in terms of impact, shock and bending capacity. If toughened safety glass breaks, it disintegrates into blunt-edged, loosely connected shards or very fine glass crumbs, depending on the degree of tempering. These represent a lower risk of injury than shards of normal glass.
VSG glass (laminated safety glass) consists of two or more glass panes that are firmly bonded together by means of a highly tear-resistant plastic film. Broken glass parts adhere to the foil in case of breakage.
2. Elo Touch 10" - 27" Built-in Monitors Are an Exception
Can an Elo monitor be used for touch-through glass? Yes, of course, Elo offers this functionality as standard on its 90-series open frame monitors from 10.1"-21.5", and optionally for 24" and 27". However, the functionality must first be activated. 
This is made possible by switching in the OSD. After switching and a restart the monitor is ready for the touch-through-glass functionality.
Mount the touchmonitor behind a max. 6mm thick glass plate. Make sure that there is no air gap between monitor and glass pane. The operation can be done with max. 2 fingers through the additional glass pane.
Summary
- Touch through glass must be activated in OSD
- 10.1" - 21.5", up to 27" on request
- Solid glass up to 6 mm
- 2 Finger MultiTouch reduction
Update 11.4.2018: Touch-Through-Glass Functionality Now Also for the 32" - 55" Elo Touch Monitors
The touch-through glass functionality is also available for large PCAP touchmonitors after the latest product update. The touchmonitors can be operated with 2-finger multi-touch behind a glass panel up to 6 mm thick (without air gap).
No hardware changes are required to implement this feature. Only a new firmware must be installed (available from us).
The following models are now available with touch through glass functionality:
32“ -55“ Digital Signage Touchscreen (3202L, 4202L, 4602L, 5502L)
32“-55“ Open Frame Touchscreen (3243L, 4343L, 5543L)
To the Open Frame Monitors (DE)
3. Capacitive Touch Foil: The Key for 15" - 65“
You have a monitor and a glass pane and want to conjure up a touch application out of it? A capacitive touch foil, which is stuck behind the glass pane, makes this possible. A monitor can be mounted behind the touch foil. And lo and behold, the touch application behind glass is ready.
Summary
- 15" - 65" Touchfolien
- 10 Finger MultiTouch
- Touchfolie kann direkt auf die Rückseite des Glases aufgebracht werden
- Monitor kann hinter der Touchfolie montiert werden
- Massives Glas ist bis zu 6 mm leitfähig, Acrylglas bis zu 4 mm
Tip: Install touch foil correctly behind glass 5 important basics you need to know.
TO THE PCAP touch foils (capacitive) DE
4. Which glass is suitable
Touch through an existing glass pane works with non-conductive glass. The glass must not be penetrated by wires (burglary protection) or metallized.
Multiple glazing also disturbs the touch signal. Solid glass, acrylic glass or non-conductive mirror glass is suitable.
We have tested the glass panes of the company Schott. As a test monitor we used an Elo Touch 1991L PCAP touchmonitor, which we changed to two-touch through glass via OSD. The following glass panels were all suitable for touch in a thickness of 2mm - 6 mm.
SCHOTT MIRONA® is a semi-transparent mirror, which is either glass or mirror, depending on the brightness behind the glass.
SCHOTT CONTURAN® anti-reflective glass for displays offers the best solutions for your requirements in terms of transparency, strength, durability, quality and processing. Offers UV and infrared protection.
SCHOTT CONTURAN® DARO anti-reflective glass for reduced fingerprints in touch applications offers the best possible solutions for your requirements of transparency, quality and durability.
SCHOTT MIROGARD® DARO is easy to clean and protects images from fingerprints and dirt. It offers the best possible solution for your requirements in transparency, quality and durability.
TIP from Schott: In general, if there is air behind the glass - for example in a display - a glass with anti-reflective coating on both sides should be used to avoid annoying double reflections.
5. What glass thickness is possible
For touch foils, solid glass up to a thickness of 8mm can be used, acrylic glass up to a thickness of 4mm.
Elo 90-series touchmonitors (with PCAP 2 Finger Touch-through-glass mode) guide the touch through the solid glass up to a thickness of 6mm.
For custom solutions, we offer touchscreen sensors that work through glass up to 20 mm thick in sizes from 10" - 65" inches. These sensors are customized and available on request.
6. Magic Mirror - What to look for on a touchmonitor behind a mirror
Keywords: Magic Mirror, Smart Mirror, Design Mirror, Mirror with Display, Mirror Monitor, Mirror with Screen, Mirror with Monitor
Source: Conceptualized by Alpay Kasal of Lit Studios and Sam Ewen of Interference Inc. This is a patent pending touch capable mirror.
It is possible to integrate a touch monitor into a semi-transparent mirror. However, this can only work if the metal layer on the back of the mirror is non-conductive. Furthermore, a very bright monitor must be used to be able to see enough on the mirror in daylight.
Semi-permeable glass is, for example, the transformation glass from Schott:
SCHOTT MIRONA® is a semi-transparent mirror that is either glass or mirror, depending on the brightness behind the pane.
TIP: It is recommended to print the semi-transparent mirror from the back. If you want to reduce the visibility of the switched off monitor behind the mirror, you should choose the color tent grey (RAL 7010) instead of black, because this gives a better result.
WES Systeme Electronic GmbH offers interactive USB touch foils, touch monitors and sensors as well as information and technical advice for business customers.
TO THE PCAP touch foils (capacitive) DE TO THE Open Frame Installation Monitors DE
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