CUSTOMER STORY: LK METROLOGY

iTOUCH HAND BOX

The intelligent evolution of industrial manual control

LK Metrology is renowned for innovative metrology solutions and services. The company’s products, including coordinate measuring machines (CMM), portable measuring arms and metrology software, are used worldwide to control and improve the quality of manufactured components. Its precision technology underpins the process chain from design, development, production and assembly through to quality assurance in global industries such as automotive, aerospace, defence, motorsport, energy, medical and contract inspection. The long-standing collaboration with Prima Electro has led to the development of numerous projects, including the recent iTOUCH Hand Box—a highly customized manual control solution for metrology equipment that combines ergonomics, reliability, and technological innovation. This product reflects the companies’ shared industrial and technological vision. 

“The decision to continue working with Prima Electro was based on their deep expertise in handheld device design, electronics, software, and mechanics. The project progressed smoothly with a first-time-right approach” commented Geert Vandenhoudt, CTO at LK Metrology.

 

Engineering a Future-Ready, Operator-Focused HMI

The iTOUCH Hand Box was designed to offer an intuitive, robust, and future-ready interface, developed with a modular approach and a focus on lifecycle sustainability. Prima Electro’s ability to integrate hardware, firmware, and software into a coherent and high-performing platform was a decisive factor in being selected as a technology partner.

The strategic value of the project is clear: to strengthen LK’s position as an innovative brand in the CMM sector. “The Hand Box is part of a broader system, but it's one of the most visible elements for operators and customers. It's what they touch every day. It must convey our technological identity” explains Luca Triolo, Group General Manager at LK Metrology “This new solution is also an opportunity to stand out from the competition, thanks to support for advanced features such as the management of complex workflows and multi-sensor integration with touch screen functionality”.

“A distinctive element of our technical proposal was our ability to handle all components of the product internally—from the mechanical design of the plastic housing to the electronic boards, from firmware development for controlling integrated devices to implementing CAN and TCP/IP communication protocols,” explains Remo Migliorini, Vice President of R&D at Prima Electro. Without a doubt, the biggest challenge was designing an ergonomic and interactive device capable of offering user experience like that of modern smartphones.

“The customer wanted an HMI with advanced features such as multi-touch, swipe, zoom, as well as programmable audio and haptic feedback. To meet these expectations, we based the architecture on a multicore NXP i.MX93 processor and a Yocto Linux Real-Time operating system.” Migliorini concludes. 

Modernizing the Hand Box was a priority for LK Metrology, with the goal of enhancing the overall user experience, making the interface smarter, and enabling remote control functionalities. “We wanted a device that offered a more guided and simplified interaction, capable of adapting content and controls to the operator's working context,” explains Geert Vandenhoudt.

 

Technical Specifications

The new iTOUCH Hand Box is designed for both handheld and benchtop use, featuring a robust housing and non-slip grip made from materials resistant to industrial cleaning agents. At its core is a 4” high-resolution capacitive touchscreen (480x800 px) with adaptive and contextual UI. The control panel has been redesigned to maximize ergonomics, featuring a central joystick, speed selector, fixed-function buttons, and contextual soft keys arranged symmetrically for ambidextrous use. The emergency E-Stop button is always accessible, in compliance with safety standards.

The electronic platform is based on a 1.7GHz NXP i.MX93 Dual Core CPU running Yocto Linux Real-Time, and natively integrates all peripheral devices (display, RGB LEDs, haptic motor, joystick, speaker). Connection to the central system is provided through CAN and Ethernet interfaces via a custom cable developed with the client to ensure mechanical strength, flexibility, and lightness—with an optimized conductor structure to minimize cable diameter without compromising electrical reliability.

On the software side, the Hand Box is compatible with legacy CAN systems and Web App–ready via an embedded Chromium browser. The UI is fully configurable through WebSocket APIs, touchscreen, and physical controls. The structure also supports future OTA updates, paving the way for features like automatic pairing, diagnostics, and remote control. Dedicated cradles have been designed for both benchtop and column installation. The prototype was validated through multiple 3D-printed versions and CE/FCC compliance tests.

 

iTOUCH: Redefining the Handheld HMI

As emphasized by our R&D VP, Remo Migliorini, “The customer recognized the strength of our proposal thanks to experience gained from other handheld devices such as ArKey, bPad, and Prima Handbox, all developed with advanced technologies and secure connectivity. The client wanted an HMI with advanced features—multi-touch, swipe, zoom, along with programmable audio and haptic feedback—just like on smartphones.”

From the standpoint of usability and integration, the new iTOUCH introduces numerous improvements. 

“We completely rethought the ergonomics of the Hand Box. Function keys were duplicated on both sides to ensure intuitive use for both right- and left-handed operators. We also integrated a 6-axis joystick surrounded by a programmable multicolour LED ring to provide clear visual feedback during machine axis movement,” explains Migliorini.

Among the features with the most significant operational impact, the client highlighted the 4” touchscreen interface, which—despite limited space—proved to be “clear, responsive, and easy to use, without compromising readability or command precision”.
Additionally, the software structure allows dynamic management of multiple workflows, guiding the operator through operational phases instead of hiding functions behind complex navigation. “This approach turned out to be the most effective in terms of productivity,” concludes Geert Vandenhoudt.

The software not only ensures full backward compatibility but is also designed to support a graphical UI based on Web App architecture through an embedded browser. 

“We included advanced features like device self-testing and internal calibration to simplify diagnostics and maintenance. Even the cable connector was designed to be easily replaceable in case of wear or accidental damage”. Migliorini adds.

The iTOUCH Hand Box project was conceived to completely modernize the manual control interface, focusing on three main objectives:

• Enhanced operational reliability, ensuring continuity even in demanding industrial environments;
• Workflow simplifications, significantly reducing the number of actions required from the operator;
• Advanced ergonomic design, built for extended use with a balanced grip and durable materials, suitable for ambidextrous operation without fatigue.