Table of Contents

What is HoverTap™ / NZTech’s Touchless Screen Interface

HoverTap™ as a 3D touch-free interface technology that uses electric-field (capacitive) sensing, empowered with AI/ML algorithms, to detect a user’s finger position above a surface (without physical contact). NZ technologies+3NZ technologies+3NZ technologies+3
The product family (HoverTap™ Universal, HoverTap™ MD, etc) is designed for multiple sectors including interactive kiosks, medical displays, elevator panels, military/industrial. NZ technologies+2NZ technologies+2
Key product-benefits:
- Non-touch interaction (hover/tap/swipe in mid-air) above the surface. NZ technologies+1
- Retrofit / upgrade of existing touchscreens/displays (flush install, non-protruding). NZ technologies+1
- Compatibility with gloves, liquids on surface, harsh/wash-down environments (important for kiosks in public / high-traffic). NZ technologies+1
- Standard interface support: e.g., USB HID protocol + HDMI for integration into existing systems. NZ technologies+1

For your focus on kiosks and POS, here are ways HoverTap™ is relevant:

Hygiene / “No-touch” value proposition: In high-traffic self-service terminals (restaurants, airports, retail), users and operators are very concerned about surface touch. HoverTap’s ability to provide hover and mid-air taps/swipes means less physical contact. This aligns with the “touchless kiosk” narrative you follow.
Retrofit capability: Because NZTech mentions “upgrade your displays” and “flush install”, this allows kiosk OEMs or deployers to convert existing kiosk screens to touchless without full rebuild — a strong ROI story.
Robustness / public-space readiness: The glove/liquid/harsh-environment claims mean these modules can be suited for rugged kiosks, self-service in transit/parking/baggage, even outdoors or washdown/damp zones.
Integration simplicity: With USB HID and HDMI and a developer API, it seems designed to plug into existing kiosk software stacks — which is helpful for your ecosystem of POS/kiosk integrators, reducing custom dev risk.
Broader positioning: Although NZTech’s strong legacy is in healthcare/sterile environments (see their TIPSO™ product for surgical use), the crossover into interactive kiosks means the technology is mature and dependable — good for brands to reference in content and marketing.

Here are the more “under the hood” features you might want to capture in your market intelligence or specification sheets:

The sensing technology is based on electric-field sensing (capacitance) rather than camera/optical only. It detects the 3D location of a fingertip (or object) above a surface. NZ technologies+1
It supports in-air gestures like tap, swipe (left/right/up/down) above a flat surface. The brochure states “intuitive: it feels natural… HoverTap™ … 3D sensor technology”. NZ technologies
The module (HoverTap™ M15A etc) is designed for integration into existing kiosk displays: they list board-level modules and standard LCD sizes. NZ technologies+1
The interface: USB HID protocol means to the OS (Windows, Linux, Android) it may appear like a mouse/keyboard or HID device, making it easier to integrate with existing kiosk UI software. NZ technologies
Environmental robustness: Works with gloves, liquids, and in harsh zones (washdown). Useful for public/self-service. NZ technologies

NZTech offers a clear “zero-touch” upgrade path for kiosks, which is a compelling marketing angle for kiosk OEMs and operators post-COVID and in hygiene-sensitive sectors (healthcare, airports, theme parks).
For SEO/markup: You can create content around “hover-tap kiosk module”, “mid-air gesture kiosk”, “retrofit touchless kiosk module”, referencing NZTech as a vendor.
For your workshop/exhibitor coverage (e.g., your IAAPA/NRF ecosystem) you can call out NZTech as a specialist hardware layer enabling the “touchless kiosk” narrative (complementing software/edge AI companies).
For specification sheets/structured data: You can list “interactionMode”: “hover” / “in-air tap/swipe” along with “deviceIntegration”: “USB HID” / “HDMI” for the module.
From a market intelligence perspective: This is an example of hardware enabling the shift from touchscreens → no-touch, which ties into your “4 Rs” readiness (ROI, Reliability, Regulation, Responsibility) framework. The regulation/hygiene angle (Responsibility) is strong here.

As with any new interface paradigm, user experience adoption can be a risk: will end-users intuitively know how to hover/tap in air vs touch? Deployment signage/training may matter.
Cost/complexity: Although NZTech emphasises retrofit, there is still module cost, integration effort, possibly firmware updates, calibration. For large roll-outs you’ll want cost figures.
Compatibility: While USB HID helps, the kiosk software may need to explicitly support hover gestures (rather than treating it exactly like a touch). Some UI redesign may be needed (button sizing, hover states, visual cues).
Environmental constraints: Although NZTech claims glove/liquid compatibility, you’ll want to check real-world case studies in kiosks (versus sterile ORs) to verify performance in e.g., outdoor kiosks, harsh lighting, vandal-prone public areas.
Operator/maintenance lifecycle: What happens if module fails, what cleaning/maintenance is required, consumables, etc.
Ecosystem competition: This is one of several touchless approaches (camera-based gesture, IR beam, mobile phone remote control). For your market intelligence you’ll want to compare NZTech’s capacitive hover approach vs e.g., camera+AI (like some vendors) to highlight trade-offs (cost, accuracy, lighting, occlusion).
Integration timelines: How quickly can you deploy at scale? Do kiosk OEMs already support it? Are there certified modules with major kiosk brands? These are things you may need to research.

Given your focus on kiosks across retail, foodservice, amusement/parks, transportation, here are some scenarios where HoverTap™ fits nicely:

Self-service ordering kiosks in QSR or theme parks: Instead of users physically touching the screen, they hover and tap—improved hygiene and brand perception.
Wayfinding/information kiosks in transit or airports: The foam or high-traffic nature of kiosks makes “no touch” appealing; module retrofit means existing kiosks could be upgraded.
Retail interactive displays: Especially in high-volume stores where screens are touched thousands of times and cleaning is a burden; HoverTap reduces “worn screen” issues.
Outdoor kiosks / look-but-don’t-touch: Because the module handles liquids/gloves, it could support outdoor self-service/loaner stations (parks/museums).
Healthcare adjacent: Although not core to your kiosk market, the healthcare pedigree gives credibility for high-reliability environments—usefully referenced in presentations for premium deployments.

Posts 2025: 6