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SmartKnob – Haptic input knob with software-defined endstops and virtual detents

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Re: SmartKnob – Haptic input knob with software-defined endstops and virtual detents

#21

Post by Perenti »

squarefoot wrote: post #9
croes wrote: post #6

I definitely need a use case for that

Control panels for various hardware. I could think of many uses in music synthesizers for example where access to many parameters for quick modification during live performance can make the difference.

I have a Roland/Boss GT-100 guitar processor (a big pedal board), which features 8 programmable/assignable open-ended rotary knobs (open ended as they can just be kept rotating without hitting some kind of stop). It would be great to be able to _feel_ hitting certain settings when brushing them with my foot, without having to look at all.

As a musician, I think the introduction of haptics to electric/electronic instruments allows you to move in unexplored aural directions, which is sometimes very musical.

Re: SmartKnob – Haptic input knob with software-defined endstops and virtual detents

#24

Post by Jabrov »

mattclarkdotnet wrote: post #14

Wonderful to see such a well documented open source hardware project! It does show though how much more difficult these are than software projects. 3d design and printing, hardware sourcing issues, the need for careful component selection, very poor support for automation of the toolchain, etc etc. As a minor hardware tinkerer this is both impressive and daunting. Bravo!

test

Re: SmartKnob – Haptic input knob with software-defined endstops and virtual detents

#27

Post by poyu »

scottbez1 wrote: post #10
squarefoot wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Control panels for various hardware. I could think of many uses in music synthesizers for example where access to many parameters for quick modification during live performance can make the difference.

On a related music/audio note, I recently came across videos of the teenage engineering TP-7 which looks like a really cool application of similar haptic feedback concepts. Unfortunately it's out of the price range where I can justify picking one up just to tinker around with it, so I've only seen videos of it so far.

The TP-7’s disc does have haptic feedback in the menus, it clicks and resists based on the context. It’s a solid design.

Re: SmartKnob – Haptic input knob with software-defined endstops and virtual detents

#28

Post by numpad0 »

codetrotter wrote: post #11
riffic wrote: post #3

there was a microsoft surface dial, not sure if that ever took off or not. I thought there was another product that had this form factor

Another product that looks slightly similar to this, but behaves differently: 3Dconnexion SpaceNavigator https://www.amazon.com/3Dconnexion-3DX-700028-SpaceNavigator... And then there are the bigger siblings to that, which basically add a bunch of buttons around the SpaceNavigator: 3Dconnexion SpaceMouse Pro https://www.amazon.com/3Dconnexion-3DX-700040-SpaceMouse-Pro... 3Dconnexion SpaceMouse Enterprise https://www.…

3Dconnexion mice don't rotate, they are joysticks with twist and push/pull, just shaped like a dial rather than that on a jet fighter. Surface Dial is a scroll wheel to replicate and improve on features in Wacom drawing tablets that its host device competes with, so it's completely different.

Re: SmartKnob – Haptic input knob with software-defined endstops and virtual detents

#29

Post by fest »

bryancoxwell wrote: post #15
mattclarkdotnet wrote: post #14

Wonderful to see such a well documented open source hardware project! It does show though how much more difficult these are than software projects. 3d design and printing, hardware sourcing issues, the need for careful component selection, very poor support for automation of the toolchain, etc etc. As a minor hardware tinkerer this is both impressive and daunting. Bravo!

Not to mention the cost of failure and iteration.

It's all relative. It has gotten at least an order of magnitude less expensive over the last 10-15 years- 3D printing, low cost PCB manufacturers, availability and cost of automated machine tools like CO2 laser-cutters.

It has actually gotten to a point where often time is the most "expensive" component of hobby/open-source hardware projects- while the cost of CAD software has decreased (mostly due to competition and increased demand that allows to spread the development cost over larger customer base), the productivity of CAD-related tasks has not increased much, if at all.

Re: SmartKnob – Haptic input knob with software-defined endstops and virtual detents

#30

Post by Already__Taken »

e3a8 wrote: post #13
_Microft wrote: post #2

Past submission from 2022 with a dozen comments: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=30646371

Tried searching by link before submission, it showed no results

the resubmit is worthwhile even for just the motor stocking updates
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