EAC - Voluntary Voting System Guidelines

Name : | Stanley A. Klein
Organization : | N/A
Post Date : | 9/30/2005
General Comments
Comment : | Note that the 15 kV and 8 kV values are substantially lower than the typical voltage levels indicated by the Electrostatic Discharge Association. The IEEE P1583 draft (that was provided to the TGDC) added a requirement that “When memory devices are used to store votes and are handled by voters or poll workers as part of normal use, these memory devices shall be tested both while installed and separately from the host equipment.” The TGDC appears to have ignored this added requirement in preparing their guidelines for the EAC. Touchscreens are particularly vulnerable to ESD. It is particularly revealing to browse the Internet for touchscreen specifications. Special steps must be taken to prevent ESD from disrupting the touchscreen and possibly getting back into the electronics of the equipment using the touchscreen. An electrostatic discharge is like a low energy lightning hit on the equipment. People can't even feel discharges below 3000 volts, and manufacturers of electronic components and computer devices frequently warn users of the potential effects of touching their components without proper ESD protection. For example, one manufacturer of touchscreen point of sale terminals explicitly recommends installing antistatic floor coverings in the vicinity of their terminals.