As part of its design strategy, Fisher & Paykel (Huntington Beach, CA, U.S.; www.fisherpaykel.com) avoided mainstream options for the button technology used in its Aquasmart washing machine displays. According to Scott Davies, product manager, the design team opted to use state-of-the-art capacitive touch technology as a value added alternative to traditional mechanical switches for the display. "The button technology allowed the design team to design a sleek finish on the display fascia and provide the perception that nothing is behind the display surface except an LCD," Davies tells APPLIANCE. "Also, to complement the capacitive touch switch technology, a Dot Matrix (240x64) Positive Mode FSTN LCD is used on the display." Davies says the LCD makes the unit more user friendly by allowing customers to scroll through selective wash cycles, and it also provides a selling point for the high-end product amongst the company's laundry platforms.