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A Touchpad Embedded Keyboard

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Re: A Touchpad Embedded Keyboard

#111

Post by mncharity »

equalunique wrote: post #79
fxfan wrote: post #69

Does anybody here use keynav? I have been a ThinkPad user all my life but the trackpoint hurt my fingers (like another commented here) Mouse and trackpad need a switch. I like keynav but its slow and I'm wondering if with prqctise I will actually get somewhere or will forever remain slow?

I love the TrackPoint, but finally I too am noticing a strain in my index finger. I am hoping to take things to the next level. Currently am looking at wiring a game controller-style thumb joystick to a Contra keyboard.

Configuring your acceleration profile can be the difference between awful and wonderful. On linux, the default experience can be poor. And some older TrackPoint hardware is now less well supported than it once was.

Re: A Touchpad Embedded Keyboard

#112

Post by mncharity »

raindeer2 wrote: post #84

Built a keyboard like this 10 years ago. Always wondered when it would be launched as a product. :) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltNSCOzxbvY

In case the soon-to-be-product Tactual keyboard[1] doesn't work out, I wonder...

Imagine you already have optical tracking available for XY finger position. So all you want from the keyboard is sensitive "is the finger near xy really touching?" bits. Without compromising the expert typing experience (eg FlickBoard). Any thoughts on nice ways to approach this?

Spray every keycap with 4 conductive pads, and run 400+ wires... :/

[1] https://vimeo.com/258421095

Re: A Touchpad Embedded Keyboard

#115

Post by KirinDave »

hboon wrote: post #101
KirinDave wrote: post #18

Didn't TouchStream buy up all this IP in multiple ways then get bought by Apple? I still have a functional touchstream and it's a fantastic device. The drivers even still sort work on Linux.

I thought FingerWorks did their own R&D.

I thought they did their own patents ;)

Re: A Touchpad Embedded Keyboard

#116

Post by raindeer2 »

mncharity wrote: post #112
raindeer2 wrote: post #84

Built a keyboard like this 10 years ago. Always wondered when it would be launched as a product. :) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltNSCOzxbvY

In case the soon-to-be-product Tactual keyboard[1] doesn't work out, I wonder... Imagine you already have optical tracking available for XY finger position. So all you want from the keyboard is sensitive "is the finger near xy really touching?" bits. Without compromising the expert typing experience (eg FlickBoard). Any thoughts on nice ways to approach this? Spray every keycap with 4 conductive pads, and run 400+ wi…

What touch pads use and also we did is capacitive sensors, but they don't really measure if something touches normally, they just give a high response if you are very close. Touchpads are covered by a insulating film. But, if you already know the x,y position then one option could potentially be to make the keys of a conductive plastic and measure the change in capacitance when they get touched. You just need "one" wire that goes to every key. Treat all keys as one sensor.

Re: A Touchpad Embedded Keyboard

#117

Post by mncharity »

raindeer2 wrote: post #116
mncharity wrote: post #112

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In case the soon-to-be-product Tactual keyboard[1] doesn't work out, I wonder... Imagine you already have optical tracking available for XY finger position. So all you want from the keyboard is sensitive "is the finger near xy really touching?" bits. Without compromising the expert typing experience (eg FlickBoard). Any thoughts on nice ways to approach this? Spray every keycap with 4 conductive pads, and run 400+ wi…

What touch pads use and also we did is capacitive sensors, but they don't really measure if something touches normally, they just give a high response if you are very close. Touchpads are covered by a insulating film. But, if you already know the x,y position then one option could potentially be to make the keys of a conductive plastic and measure the change in capacitance when they get touched. You just need "one" w…

With optical tracking, one can, for example, have all fingers resting on home row, with one finger tapping. But it's hard to distinguish actually touching from merely being near the surface, so one exaggerates the taps to rise above tracking noise. Which is sort of ok for taps, but is a pretty bad user experience for say finger-stroking scrolling.

So the objective is to have per-finger high-quality is-it-touching-or-not-quite touch determination, on a good keyboard. Perhaps made easier by having high-quality XY position available from the optical tracking.

A keyboard where every keycap was a multitouch touchpad would work... but seems problematic.

Monotouch pads are more feasible, but imagine home row fingers now shifted half a key to the left, so finger tips touch multiple keys, and keys are touched by multiple fingers. Now detect tapping, when the tapped key remains continuously touched, and the tapping finger may be in contact with other adjacent fingers.

One could wire together all keys, if say you have finger-tip electrodes. And wired fingers have the bonus of providing good touch determination for finger-finger contact, instead of just finger-key. But the pragmatics of electrodes on skin are messy, and gloves badly sacrifice typing experience.

Ah well. Thanks. Perhaps the Tactual PRISM keyboard will work out.

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