In 2004, a large percentage of young Americans were enamored with touch screen technology. Market research suggested that with this rise in popularity, businesses were going to need to adapt in order to keep up with the interests of Americans. It seems they were right.

Touch screen panels are an everyday occurrence now when you go through the self-checkout at the supermarket or visit the airport to print out your boarding pass and check luggage. You check your own luggage, print your own tags, everything. We are becoming more and more dependent on ourselves and are eliminating the need for the salesperson in a lot of transactions. Will this eliminate the need for salespeople all together? Doubtful. Not everyone has such an easy time with the new technology and a little supervision never hurts.

In today's market, sales of the iPhone and iPod touch soar. Not only do they look cool, but they provide a new experience for consumers. With this new technology, consumers don't have to worry about their stylus getting lost and being unable to take down the memo they need to remember. They also don't have to worry as much about the product scratching because the screen is made with very tough, scratch-resistant glass. Many people carry the iPod touch in their pocket with their keys and report that they don't have any scratches.

Wow, times have changed. We used to stand in line in the supermarket, waiting for the cashier to slowly scan the hundreds of items in the cart ahead of us when we only had 2 items to buy. Now we can quickly and easily rush through the self-checkout, using the touch screen technology without thinking about it. Some grocery stores even have the technology built into their shopping carts that allows customers to weigh their own veggies, order deli meats and pay their bills all through a touch screen.

And, imagine an entire office set up with touch technology. First, you dock your Ipod Touch so that you can get that charging and downloading the new podcasts that are available. Next, you boot up your computer by touching the screen or using your ergonomic mouse with touch capabilities. Or, maybe you have a large touch screen that sits on top of your entire desk, making it possible for you to simply sit, touch and go. Sound too futuristic? Not for long.

So, what does the future hold for touch screen users? We may see larger than life touch screen panels taking over our homes. We may ride in comfort while using our touch screen GPS or touch screen devices in our automobiles. Perhaps, our televisions will become touch screen, eliminating the need of a remote altogether. No more fighting over the remote, a novel concept. Whatever the case may be, one thing is certain, you need to start exercising those fingers because you're going to be needing them a lot more in years to come.

About the Author: Rebecca Beckett is a freelance writer for Innuity. For more information regarding touch screen panel or touchpad go to Cirque.