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3. WrittenbyRobertHoshowsky Tmentthankstoinnovationsfromthislivewirecompany. ouchscreentechnologyhascomeaverylongwaysinceA DMetrowasfoundedin 1993,withsomeofthatadvance- “Evenifwewantedtochangethesimplest little componentonthetouchscreenwemakeforthem,they’dhave to gothroughare-qualification process,andthat holds everythingup,”Davidexplains.“Oncethedesignissetinstone,theystartproducinghighvolumes,butnothingcanchangeonit.Sothekeytooursuccessisdeliveringareliable,qualityproduct,withgreatservice,toensurethatthiscaptiveaudienceinbothmedicalanddefenseapplicationsisnotmotivatedtotryandchangedevelopers.” Anindustryveteran,Davidwasactiveintechnologylongbefore foundingADMetro30yearsago,andwasworkingforaJapanesecompanydistributingcomputercomponentry.Therewasplentyofcompetitioninthemarket,andthecompany—whichrebrand-edproductandsolditunderitslogo—begantolosemarketshare.David’sassessmentwasthattherewasamarketout there,butforanexpanded productline,ifhecouldacquiremore sup-pliers.HesoonfoundapartnerinMontrealandlaunched‘PrimePeripheral,’whichfocusedon PC point-of-saleperipherals. Aboutthreeyearslater,Davidboughtouthispartner,movedtheheadofficetoOttawa,andchangedthenametoA D Metro.“Itstandsfor‘AlphaDeltaMetro,’not‘AlbertDavid,’helaughs.“Thereasonforthatwastogetustothetopoflistsintradeshowsandpublicationswithanamethatstartedwithan‘A.’” Thecompany’searlyyearsfocusedonpoint-of-saleandPC peripheralproductslikecashdrawers,receiptprintersand displays—essentiallyeverythingthatwouldbeconnectedtoaPCtomakeitapoint-of-salesystem. Thereason,hesays,was thatCanadaintroducedtheGoodsandServicesTax(GST)in 1991.“WhenGSTcamein,youhadtobeabletotrackinput creditsandapplythemagainstwhatyouhadtopayattheend ofthereportingperiod,”heexplains. Today,it’shardtoimagineatimewithoutthistimesaving technology,appearingoneverythingfromsmartphonesand self-servekiosksinfast-foodrestaurantstohandheldgame consoles,all-in-onecomputers,ATMs,andmore.Andthen therearethespecialistapplications,suchas militaryandaero- space,transportation,industrial,medical,andmarine. Providingtouchscreensolutionstoleadingoriginalequip-mentmanufacturers(OEMs),systemintegrators,andvalue-addedresellers,ADMetro’srangeofcontrolpanels,kiosks,andmobilecomputingsolutionscontinuestoadvancethetech-nologyandbroadenthemarket,bringingthecompanyrepeatbusinessandarespectedplaceinthefield. “Muchof A DMetro’s success comes from thecompany’swell-earnedreputationforservice,quality,andstability.” AD Metro’s touchscreentechnologyisalsofoundinproductsdeliveredbyFortune100companiesforapplicationsindefense,aerospace,industrialautomationandmedicalequipment. Much of ADMetro’ssuccess comes fromthe company’s well-earnedreputationforservice,quality,andstability,saysAlbert David,President, CEO, andChiefTechnicalOfficer.Thecompanycreatestherawsensortechnologywhichfitsintomonitors, ter-minals,andotherapplications. Onceproductsarequalified,theycannotbechangedunless they’rere-qualified.Oneinstanceisasmallmedicalpatient monitor,whichthecompanyhassuppliedtoaclientfor abouteightyears.

4. “Dedicated cash registersweren’t ableto do that at thebegin- ning, so a lotof softwarevendorsstarted developing software tomakeintelligentpoint-of-salesystems.Oncethatbecame successful,restaurantmanagementsystemsbegantoflourish andusesomeofthesamebasicperipherals,liketouchscreens.” screensbecameanatural evolution of point-of-saleand restau- rantmanagementsystems,makingorderingeasier,incorporat- ingbarcodescanners,andbeingabletopickanitemfroma menuona screenwithoutnavigatingviamouseandkeyboard. “Touchscreenswereanaturalevolution,”saysDavid,adding thatsincethesescreenswere also smallerthanakeyboardand mouse,theyhelpedtosavetablespace. Thankstotouchscreentechnology,businesseslikerestau- rantswereabletotrackordersandreceipts.Serverscouldn’t invitefriendstohavea‘free’meal,becausenothingcould beorderedthroughthekitchenunlessitwentthroughthe point-of-salesystem. AtthetimeADMetrostarted,alltouchscreens were convex-shapedbenttouchscreens,designedtositinacathode-raytube(CRT),backwhenallmonitorswereCRT.Thechallengewastofindvendorswhocould‘slump’theglasstomatchthecurvatureofa14-inchCRTmonitor,formthepolyester Alongwithdeterringtheft,point-of-salesystemsunifiedorders andspeduphowquicklytheycouldbeinputted.Touch

5. asreceiptprinters,cashdrawers,poledisplays,andbarcode scanners,wentfrombranded status itemstocommodities. AscompetitivepressurefromAsiagrew,Davidrealizedthere wereservicinggapsrelatingtodefence,military,medical, andindustrialrequirements.Whileoffshoreproducerswere puttingoutcheaper,consumer-typeproducts,thesewere notsuitable. “Describedas‘agamechangerfor medical,military,anddefence applications,’ULTRAResistiveTouch Screenscangowherecapacitiveand regularresistivetechnologycannot.” “Higher-endapplications—industrial,medical,andmilitary— can’tuseanddon’twanttouseproductslikethat,”hesays. “Westartedlookingfortechnology that would differentiateour offeringsfromcheap suppliers becausetherewasaneed,and people started coming tous.” Thisledtohisfindingawaytoputverythinmicroglassonaresistivesensor,whichresultedinthecreationofthecom- pany’sflagshipproduct,ULTRA.DescribedbyDavidas“agame changerformedical,military,anddefenceapplications,”ULTRA ResistiveTouchScreenscangowherecapacitiveandregular resistivetechnologycannot. Workingthesamewayasresistivetouchscreensensors, ULTRA’sGlass-Film-Glass(GFG)constructionfeaturesaboro- silicateglassmembrane(essentiallytemperedPyrex),which reducesfracturing,prolongslifespan,andhasanextended operationaltemperaturerange. Availableindisplaysizesrangingfrom3”to24”,theULTRA 5-Wireresistivearmouredtouchsensorsareidealforapplica- tionssuchasairports,railways,andrapidtransitsystems.“It’s stillbeingsold,andisournumberoneproduct,withmany patentson it,” saysDavid. membranewithaconductivecoatingonittofittheshape, andputeverythingtogethertomakeamembrane-type touchscreen. “Youcouldn’tjustputanadinthepaperandhireanengineer whohadtouchscreentechnologyandknewhowtodothis, andtherewerealsotradesecrets.”Usinghisengineering knowledge,Davidcobbledasystemtogetherandfounda supplierwhocouldmakebentglass. ADMetrothenbeganmakingthefirstbenttouchscreens, sellingthemundertheirownbrand.Astechnologyevolved, theindustrymovedawayfrombentCRTstoflat-screenLEDs. Around thesametime,peripheralssoldbythecompany, such

6. Unlikecapacitivetouchscreentechnologies,ULTRA’sresistive touchtechnologydoesnotemitanyradiofrequency,soitis idealforthestealthrequirementsofdefenseapplications.It isabletooperateinanyweather,andthecompany’sdemon- strationvideoshowsittakingabeating,stillfunctioningafter beingburnt,frozen,andhavingicescrapedoffit.Alsoableto operateunderwaterand inany environmentalconditions, itis well-suitedforoutdoorapplications,suchascarwashes. Recently,ADMetroreceivedacallthatthekioskmanufacturerwantedthembacksupplyingULTRAtouchscreensolutions.“That’sagoodexample of where we cango,andwhereothertechnologiescannotgo.” ULTRAisalsousedinmany medicalapplications.Durableand salt-free borosilicateglassisresistanttomany chemicals,which allowsthe screenstobesanitized. DavidrecallsalargeCanadianOilandGascustomerusing ULTRAtouchscreenterminalsoutside car washesuntil recently, whenthecompanymakingkioskswasreplacedbyanother manufacturerandusedtouchscreensfromanothermaker. Thenewbusinessdidn’t useULTRA,butsomesortofprojected capacitytouch screen whichwasrifewithproblems,especially touchscreensturningdarkanddiscolouringfromsunlight. AlongwithULTRA,ADMetrohasdevelopedotherleading technologies.TheseincludeLCIR(LinearCorrelatingInfrared) touchscreensusedin avionics, particularly inhelicopters where thetechnologysolvesaproblemspecifictotheseaircraft.

7. Thecombinationofahelicopter’sfast-rotatingbladesand sunlightcancreateastrobeeffectthatinterfereswithlight- registeringinstruments.ADMetrocameupwithaunique technologythatworksinanenvironmentwherecompetitors’ products willnot,sincethey can’t functionwith sunlighthitting theoptics.Asa frame-basedtechnologyworkingwithinfrared lightbeams,LCIRcantolerate directsunlight. hard-wiredtothecomputer.PlugintheARGONcontroller anditwillsensechannelsandparameterstoensureoptimal touchperformance.Itissosensitiveitcanbeoperated wearing latexgloves. “WecandoalotofthingswiththeARGONproductthatwe developedtomakeplug-and-playusageoutofprojected capacitivethatyoucan’tdowithjustastandardprojected capacitivecontroller,”explainsDavid.There’sno needtowork withsuppliers on programming changes and operation,unlike withotherproductsonthemarket. WithLCIR,thereisnosubstrateglasscoveringthedisplay,so nothingimpedestheoptics.Thismakesitidealforradar, mappingapplications,high-contrastapplications,andavionics. Whilesome manufacturers claimthattheirproductscanwork withsunlight,itisonlypossiblewithadeeptop to shieldthe optics,shading them fromdirectsunlight. ThecompanyhasseveralprominentsuppliersofProjected Capacitive(PCAC)chips expressinginterestinARGON.“We’re working with a few of them right now to see if we can make anindustrystandardofthattomakeitmucheasiertouse projectedcapacitivetechnologywithoutthehighlevelof supportthat’srequired.” “That’skindofinelegant,whereaswehaveaverycompact design,”saysDavid.“Ourframeisone-eighthofaninchhigh andaquarterofaninchthick,whereasthe competition might bethree-quartersofaninchthick.Theverytightrestrictionsin avionics controlpanelsmakethemimpracticalto install where spaceisextremelylimitedanddisplayscrushupagainsteach other,”heexplains.“That’swherewe’vegotthe edge.Youdon’t needthattypeoftopcovertokeepthesunlightout.” Althoughthereare no particular plans tomark the company’s 30thanniversary,AlbertDavidisupbeataboutADMetro’s future. “Ifweareheretoday,wewon’tbegonetomorrow;wewere herein1993,andwe’restillherein2023.We’renotafly-by- nightoperation,andwehaveasolid,in-demandproductline. We’reservicinganichemarketthat alotofhighervolumesup- pliers don’t seeminterested in.” Thanks toADMetro,these screens arealsoimpervioustodirtanddebris.Since optics areinfront,they’reeasyto clean, andwillactuallyinstructtheusertowipethescreen. ThecompanyisalsobehindtheARGONPCAP.Aprojected capacitivecontroller,itsensesandadaptstotheconnected (off-the-shelf)PCAPsensorsize,format,andcoverglass. Projectedcapacitivecontrollersneedtobeprogrammed totheactualsensorsthey’reworkingwithbecausethey haveasequenceofhorizontalandverticalchannels. Thesechannels—andtherecanbe100ofthem—are ContentDevelopedbyJamalFrancis-Anderson|DesignedbyEbic Tristary

8. 1390 StarTopRd.,Ottawa,Ontario,CanadaK1B4V7 |P:16137425545|F:16137425245|E:support@admetro.com admetro.com Asfeaturedin December2023-January2024