Trying to use a touchscreen with wet hands has always been more trouble than its worth, but new technology from Freescale is changing that with new software, Xtrinsic 3.0, that makes capacitive touchscreens work even through a layer of water.
Intended mainly for industrial, medical, and automotive applications, Xtrinsic 3.0 works its magic by detecting interference and noise really well, which cuts down on false touches in general in addition to working when there’s water on the screen. Because it’s just a software update, this kind of functionality can roll out with ease. It might not be long before touchscreens, in general, aren’t bothered by a little water. Whether or not the guts underneath them can handle it, however, is another story.