The computing power of the smartphones in our pockets have often drawn comparisons to computing machines of the mid-20th century, which themselves were powerful for their time. Our access to such a powerful technology owes itself to advances in electronics, signalling, and fabrication – but its ultimate ubiquity owes itself to a human-machine interface that has become so intuitive as to make smartphones an extension of our arms: the touchscreen.
What is a touchscreen?
A touchscreen is a surface that combines two functions: to receive inputs for a computer (say, tapping on an app) and to display the output (launching the app). Aside from smartphones, touchscreens are also found today on ATM machines, various household appliances (including TVs and refrigerators), e-readers, billing systems, and electronic voting machines.
