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Touchscreen Test: How Different Gloves Work on Capacitive Screens
2025-10-27

Wisemaker Capacitive Touchscreen Test Results with Different Types of Gloves



A lot of customers ask if they can use the touchscreen while wearing gloves.So, Wisemaker tested common gloves on our capacitive touch Panel PC to show how they actually perform, giving a clear idea of which gloves work well.

1. Common types of gloves:

Wisemaker capacitive touchscreen glove test results


2. Test results of using different gloves on a capacitive touchscreen:

No.

Glove Name

Material

Specification

Application

Single Touch

Multi-Touch

1

Disposable Gloves

Polyethylene (PE)

Food Contact

Food Service,

Baking, Dental,

Beauty

OK

OK

2

Medical Nitrile Examination Gloves

Nitrile

Medical grade

Hospitals, lab,
beauty clinics,

scientific research

OK

OK

3

Medical PVC Examination Gloves

PVC

Medical grade,

Food grade

Medical surgery examination,
food processing,

personal protection

OK

OK

4

Natural Latex Industrial Gloves

Latex

Natural latex, soft and wear-resistant

Household chores,

cleaning services,

industrial cleaning

OK

NO

5

PU518 gloves

Polyester +
PU palm coating

Polyester knitted +
PU palm coating

Electronics assembly, equipment maintenance, agricultural harvesting

NO

NO

6

Nitrile-coated dotted touchscreen gloves

Polyester-acrylic + nitrile palm coating

Touch-supportive

Auto repair,

assembly production,

 robotic operations

OK

OK

7

Cut-resistant gloves, Level C

HPPE fiber

Cut-resistant, uncoated

Slaughterhouses, supermarkets, metal cutting, glass factories

NO

NO

8

Anti-static gloves

Polyester + conductive fibers

Resistance value:
10⁶ Ω–10⁹ Ω

Electronics industry, photovoltaics,

semiconductors

OK

OK

9

100% cotton gloves

100% cotton

Medium-thick,

white cotton

Etiquette and reception,

Safety work

OK

OK

10

Protective work gloves

cotton yarn +
synthetic fiber

Thickened

cotton yarn

Construction sites,

material handling,

machinery

NO

NO

11

Industrial high-temperature-resistant gloves

Aramid +
cotton lining

Heat-resistant up to 500°C,

wear-resistant

Industrial heat treatment, baking, oven work

NO

NO


3. How Capacitive Touchscreen Works

     The working principle of a capacitive touchscreen is based on the capacitive coupling effect formed between the human body’s electric field and the surface of the screen. When a finger touches the screen, it changes the capacitance between electrodes. The touch controller detects these changes and accurately locates the touch point. When an operator wears gloves, different glove materials affect the capacitance value between the human body and the screen.

     From the test video, we can observe the following results:

      3.1. Disposable gloves (1): The gloves have little effect on the capacitance value. Both single-touch and multi-touch operations are smooth.

      3.2. Natural latex industrial gloves (4): During single-touch operation, the glove has minimal impact on capacitance, so single-touch remains smooth. However, during multi-touch operation, the glove significantly affects the capacitance, resulting in random or inaccurate touch responses.

      3.3. High-temperature resistant industrial gloves (11): These gloves greatly affect the capacitance, completely blocking the electrical coupling. Therefore, neither single-touch nor multi-touch is responsive.

       3.4. Nitrile-coated touchscreen gloves (6): Made of polyester-acrylic fabric with a nitrile palm coating, these gloves are designed for touchscreen use. Although thick, they provide a conductive bridge between the finger and the screen, allowing both single-touch and multi-touch to operate smoothly.


From these tests, we can see the glove material has big influence on capacitive touch performance.

For users who must wear gloves during work, choosing the right glove type is important.

 If you need to use gloves that don't work with capacitive screens, we suggest going with a resistive touchscreen instead.


4. Recommendations for Operating a Touchscreen While Wearing Gloves:

       4.1.  Wear gloves that fit properly so that there is good contact between the hand and the glove, ensuring effective touch response.

       4.2.  If you need to wear gloves that do not support capacitive touchscreens, consider using a resistive touchscreen solution.