METHUEN, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 8, 1999-- What do some brands of diapers, carpeting, surgical drapes, hosiery, sponges, home air filters, and computer touchscreen displays have in common? The answer is, an effective, durable, and safe method of eliminating and protecting against bacteria and other microorganisms.

MicroTouch Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:MTSI - news), the global leader in computer touchscreen products, today launched CleanScreen, the world's first touchscreen incorporating antibacterial technology registered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Permanently bonded to the glass surface of MicroTouch ClearTek 3000 touchscreens, CleanScreen is designed for use in such increasingly popular touchscreen applications as self-service kiosks, ATMs, restaurant and hospital systems, casino and amusement games, public telephones and Internet appliances, and many others where hygiene may be a concern.

For the millions of people who use touchscreens every day, CleanScreen brings confidence of improved hygiene and cleanliness by assuring them that bacteria and other microbial contaminants can not accumulate and grow on the surface of the touchscreens.

For the touchscreen system owner, CleanScreen enhances the cleanliness of the touchscreen environment, such as a touch-enabled cash register in a restaurant, or information kiosks in shopping malls, airport terminals, hotels, and tourist attractions.

CleanScreen also adds higher value to a host of touch-enabled systems produced by original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), giving them a distinct competitive advantage in food service, health care, and other vertical market applications where cleanliness is vitally important.

CleanScreen also makes MicroTouch ClearTek 3000 touchscreens more durable, resistant to contamination, and easier to clean, and has no effect on display optics and clarity. MicroTouch is delivering ClearTek 3000 touchscreens with CleanScreen at no extra cost to customers.

``The touchscreen is rapidly replacing the keyboard and buttons as the common user interface in many public-access and business computer systems because it is intuitively easy to use. Although the glass touchscreen is inherently cleaner than plastic keys or buttons, CleanScreen gives users a new level of confidence that the surface of the touchscreen is protected from contaminants,'' said Janet Muto, MicroTouch vice president of worldwide marketing. Consumer Demand for Antibacterial-Protected Products

MicroTouch joins a growing number of companies who have introduced antibacterial-protected products in direct response to rising consumer concern about bacteria and microbial contamination. In the U.S. alone, the number of products which incorporate antibacterial properties has increased from 36 in 1992 to 242 in 1998, an annual growth rate of 137 percent, according to Marketing Intelligence Service, Ltd., a Naples, N.Y., research firm.

In some other cultures of the world, antibacterial products are even more common. In Japan, for example, the wide variety of products with antibacterial properties includes telephones, pens, stationery, dishwashers, and bicycle handles, according to a New York Times report.

Rising consumer demand for antibacterial-protected products has been fueled by public reports that highlight the problems caused by contamination. The Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, Georgia, has reported that food-borne diseases cause approximately 76 million illnesses, 325,000 hospitalizations, and 5,000 deaths in the U.S. each year. Industry Commentary

``Bacteria are a restaurant owner's worst nightmare. They can't be seen without a microscope, yet the results of an attack can be disastrous in the food-service business,'' said Marc Berkowitz, an internationally renowned consultant to restaurant and hospitality companies, and a pioneer of the concept of gourmet seafood markets in America.

``Most restaurants go to great lengths to prevent harmful microorganisms from multiplying or contaminating foods. Constantly training people how to handle food and keep their hands clean during food preparation and service is most important, of course. CleanScreen is a passive protective measure with enormous benefit, because it minimizes the spread of bacteria via a common utensil -- in this case, the touchscreen displays in the dining room and kitchen -- and requires no training,'' Berkowitz said. ``All types of restaurants, from fine dining to fast food to cafeteria, can benefit from using CleanScreen touchscreens. I would not be surprised to see CleanScreen become an industry standard.''

Customer Commentary

``We expect our Monitor Alliance Partners and OEM customers -- the thousands of companies around the world who make products with MicroTouch touchscreens -- will recognize CleanScreen as a distinctive and compelling added value for their products, and for their customers,'' said Muto. MicroTouch partners and OEM customers include IBM, Mitsubishi Electronics, Princeton Graphic Systems, Merit Industries, TOTOKU Electric, Siemens Nixdorf, Apple, and Diebold.

``CleanScreen is an example of how partnering with MicroTouch enables us to incorporate innovative technology into our products and deliver custom solutions that meet or exceed our customers' needs,'' said Ron Shiroke, vice president and general manager of Princeton Graphic Systems Custom Display Division, Santa Ana, Calif., a leading manufacturer of high-definition computer displays for financial services, food service, retail, and hospitals.

``MicroTouch earns high marks for continuously improving the quality of the touchscreens Mitsubishi uses in its special display products. CleanScreen provides us with a distinctive new feature that will be attractive to our customers in several of the markets we serve,'' said Hydee Ong, manager of Special Display Products at Mitsubishi Electronics America, Cypress, Calif., which markets the industry's most extensive line of award-winning color displays throughout the U.S. and South America.

``CleanScreen is a strong competitive advantage for our products in Japan,'' said Kazumi Yoshimura, general manager of the MultiMedia Business Unit of TOTOKU Electric, Tokyo, a leading display OEM supplier to most Japanese computer companies, including Fujitsu, Toshiba, Hitachi, and NEC.

``Our touchscreen games are used by the public all over the world, so they have to be attractive, reliable, durable, and impervious to a variety of environmental conditions. CleanScreen adds a new element of protection and value to our products,'' said John Vigna, chief executive officer of Merit Industries, Bensalem, Pa., the leading U.S. manufacturer of coin-operated touchscreen amusement games.

CleanScreen Technology

CleanScreen uses a proprietary antibacterial treatment marketed by AEGIS Environments, of Midland, Mich., and based on technology developed and tested extensively by Dow Corning Corporation. The AEGIS Microbe Shield technology, commercially available since 1976, is used in schools, hospitals, offices and homes to combat bacterial and fungal contamination problems and is specifically registered with the EPA for treatment of glass fixtures.

This technology also has proven effective in a wide array of consumer and medical products, including disposable wipes, scrubbing sponges, active wear, socks, and disposable diapers. Unlike conventional antimicrobials and disinfectants, the unique mode of action of the AEGIS Microbe Shield technology does not create an environment that allows bacteria or fungi to adapt or create resistant organisms. This has been confirmed by more than 20 years of testing.

Through a proprietary MicroTouch process, CleanScreen is permanently bonded to the surface of a touchscreen, so it remains functional virtually for the life of the touchscreen display, does not migrate to a user's finger, or wear off when the screen is cleaned. MicroTouch has applied for U.S. and international patents for CleanScreen.

CleanScreen is the latest MicroTouch innovation in the rapidly growing touchscreen industry. ``This breakthrough development in touchscreen technology solidifies our position as the market leader for touch solutions for public access and business applications,'' said Muto. ``We have worked diligently to produce the industry's widest array of touchscreens with superior durability, optics, reliability, and overall value, and have earned the reputation as the most reliable supplier of innovative, high-quality solutions. CleanScreen is another distinct competitive advantage that we believe will propel our continued growth.''

About MicroTouch

MicroTouch Systems, Inc., is the world's leading manufacturer of computer touchscreen display products incorporating the two most popular touch technologies -- analog capacitive and resistive membrane -- which the company applies in a variety of products, and markets under the ClearTek and TouchTek brand names. MicroTouch operates ISO 9001-certified manufacturing plants at its worldwide headquarters in Methuen, Mass. and at its European headquarters in Abingdon, England, and also maintains manufacturing facilities in Texas, Japan, Taiwan, and Australia, along with sales offices and distributors in more than 50 countries. MicroTouch also operates TouchStore.com, an Internet-based electronic commerce site devoted exclusively to the sale of touchscreen monitors and related products. Founded in 1982, MicroTouch reported sales of $144.4 million in 1998. The company's Web site is www.microtouch.com

MicroTouch and ClearTek 3000 are registered trademarks, and CleanScreen is a trademark of MicroTouch Systems, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective companies.

     MicroTouch Systems, Inc.

     Edward F. Clough, 978-659-9120

     [email protected]

     http://www.microtouch.com/CleanScreen/Images.htm

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Thanks Anna!