| Electronics > Projects, Designs, and Technical Stuff |
| Trying to build a DIY IBM Pointstick like device |
| (1/1) |
| PeterFW:
Hello! I would like to build a keyboard like device but instead of regular piano keys it should have a "IBM Pointstick" like device for each note instead of keys. There are a few pre-made solutions for this available, either magnetic or resistive. Due to the amount of keys needed, magnetic solutions are cost prohibitive. The only resistive input devices i could find are Gameboy touch sticks (the c button on DS devices) but whose are expensive too. From there i recalled the existence of Velostat and thought about designing my own sensors but the usual Velostat is a bit too thin and i have reservations about the longevity. I could swear i have seen a material like Velostat but the only other "conductive tape" i could find was Z tape which is not what i need. I thought about doing some experiments on my own with some silicone and carbon black but i would really love something i can just buy. Anyone got a suggestion? Greetings, Peter |
| george.b:
Why not use strain gauges, like the IBM/Lenovo TrackPoint does? |
| PeterFW:
Thanks for the reply! Did not think of that yet, after thinking a bit about it, i got problems figuring out a way how to make this work with strain gauges. Until now i thought the track points are resistive. Can you give me some links to so i can resarch it? I got a hard time finding the right key words. Greetings, Peter |
| george.b:
Well, depends on what you call "resistive". Strain gauges are resistive, in that they change their resistance according to deformation. Perhaps the original patent for the TrackPoint could help: https://patents.google.com/patent/US5867808A/en |
| PeterFW:
Thanks, did not get me closer yet but send me down a rabbit hole of other research and ideas. |
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