Trackballs and industrial computers
Most of us now use everyday a mouse or the pad of your laptop, whether it is at work or at home. But these two are not the only pointing devices that exist.
Some businesses require the use of different things than the basic mouse or pad that most of us use.
As an example, it will not be very practical to install a computer with a simple mouse that would be used in a public place like a shopping center or a train station. The pointing device could be easily broken or stolen and the users would then not be able to use the computer.
That is why we can often see different pointing devices like an industrial trackball for instance, or industrial touch screens where in that case the pointing device is your finger on the screen.
We said that it was better to use a trackball on a computer that would be used often in a public place, but it would be the same for a computer used in a factory.
Since the computer would have to withstand changing conditions and a continuous use, it is better to have a limited number of elements around it. That is why in most case, these computers either have an indutrial trackball or simply use industrial touch screens with LCD screens or TFT display for custom display solutions when necessary.
While it is not a problem to use a pad or a mouse when you use your computer or laptop at home or at the office, this is completely different when the computer is used almost twenty four hours a day and by many people whether it is outside or in a plant.
The computers used will have to resist to this continuous use, as well as the environment, which means high temperature variation or dust for example. In that case, the computer needs to be protected and as little as possible should be exposed. That is why most computers used are just big blocks where the only thing appearing is the screen which is in most case a touch screen with the screen being made to resist to a common use and to temperature variations. These screens as well as the shelling around the computer also need to be able to resist if they are hit by something or somebody.
Industrial computers need to be built differently from the computers we use at home or at the office.
