Surface Treatment (touchpad-surface-treatment)

The coversheet of a Windows Precision Touchpad delights the user by its feel. The coversheet is manufactured with a high quality coating and machined texture to produce a glass-like smoothness.

Coating

A precision touchpad shall be protected with a surface coating that is scratch and smudge resistant. Scratch resistance ensures that the user experience is not hindered by undesired textural deformations and smudge resistance reinforces the polished aesthetic appeal. Finger prints and grease marks are undesirable and give the impression of an unclean, lower quality surface. Therefore, precision touchpads enhance the user experience by utilizing an oleophobic coating, ensuring the touchpad always looks pristine.

Texture

Regardless of surface coating or coversheet material, a precision touchpad shall have a smooth surface with no perceivable bumps or grooves.

Textured surfaces such as dimples or bumps increase the surface friction when the user glides over the touchpad. This added friction negatively impacts the user experience by slowing the user’s motions, adding unnecessary finger fatigue from the additional force that is needed during interactions, and impedes precise cursor positioning and gesturing.

The coversheet shall have a perceived smoothness to glass. We recommend a surface roughness of < 0.01 Ra so that gestures feel responsive and user confidence is maximized.