Embedded User Interfaces

: Click to enlarge

More and more equipment for industrial use needs a graphical user interface (GUI).

In the implementation of these "embedded GUI", the display (single color of full color) and the operation (buttons/softkeys or touchscreen) we can support you with our knowledge and experience.

Solcept can accompany you from technology selection for your HMI (human-machine interface) to its implementation.

Display Technologies

We can advise you neutrally on the selection of the optimum technology for your embedded display.

Projects we have done incorporated the familiar technologies of anorganic LED, of passive and active LCD in all flavors, e.g. sunlight-readable TFT for mobile devices. We also did projects with one of the newest technologies: OLED.

Operation & Touch Technologies

: Click to enlarge

Many control systems still incorporate keys, maybe joysticks as input devices. we realize more and more systems using touchscreen technologies which allow a more flexible user interface concept.

The still prevalent resistive touch panels are replaced more and more by capacitive systems which are more robust and easier to clean (the surface can be glass or polycarbonate) plus today they can even be operated with gloves.

We recommend to develop the overall operation concept, the sequences, the placement of control elements and the design of graphics and texts of the HMI together with an industrial designer. Using a well-thought and attractive user interface the product can stand out in the market and training and support cost can be reduced.

Framework & Languages

The right software framework is an important ingredient for an efficient embedded GUI project. There are commercial and free alternatives (e.g. Qt, SDL, PEG), sometimes it is more efficient to use a customized library (e.g. our "small footprint graphics system) tailored to the requirements of an industrial control application.

What needs to be considered form the beginning is the display and management of different languages, especially of those using non-Latin character sets or writing from right to left.