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Multi-touch Input Sensor based of Arduino MegaMulti-touch Input Sensor based of Arduino MegaMulti-touch Input Sensor based of Arduino Mega

Davide GombaOctober 25th, 2010

 

Possible low-end solution for multi-touch surfaces based on Arduino Mega:

So i’ve been working on this project for a while now as part of my thesis and independently and work is still continuing. So just an overview the project is a multi-touch and multi-modal input sensor that can be utilised behind traditional LCD panels utilising a new method to detect inputs. By using a large IR sensor array consisting of 128 sensors behind the LCD panel and IR light source in front of the Panel we are able to augment the display with the ability to sense a variety of objects near or on the surface; including fingers tips and hands and thus permitting us to enable multi-touch interaction. The inherent nature of the senors allows us to create a low cost high fidelity image sensor allowing us to take advantage of optical sensing which also allows other physical items to be detected, and thus permits us to develop multi-modal interaction schemas.

Amazingly done with Processing and a simple Arduino Mega board.

via [ArduinoForum] source [mtaha]

 

 

 

3 Responses to “Multi-touch Input Sensor based of Arduino MegaMulti-touch Input Sensor based of Arduino MegaMulti-touch Input Sensor based of Arduino Mega”

  1. Luke Says:

    Nice idea! Makes me wonder though since the beams are infrared, does that mean if you shine a television remote towards the screen and push buttons that it will think a user is interacting with the screen? Or more deliberately, an infrared laser? Other designs that rely on infrared could have similar issues. If that’s the case it could be useful for things like vending machines and home use, but I wouldn’t trust one in a prison, airline cockpit, other places that could be vulnerable to “display attacks” if you will.

    Having said that I think it’s really cool. I’m looking forward to see where it goes from here. Thanks for sharing!

  2. Taha Bintahir Says:

    Hey Luke, this is my project… yes you can interact with IR lasers and remotes as long as they have the correct IR wavelength as far as safety goes what you can do is encrypt the IR it self to contain data and filter everything out except for IR that contains that data so the setup can be altered to make it safe and secure. Not only that you could further define objects or tags that can be made to emit IR, or even define compound events objects, where when you place a puck on the surface it triggers a menu but a menu item is only selected when you press a button on the puck.

    Overall the system is very versatile and can be used not only as a touch based sensor but also as a 3d scanner by integrating IR emitters with the sensor board that point out and light up an Object. Here is an example of what i’m referring about. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKX8pSeBerE
    In that video i use ambient IR from halogen light bulbs but you can easily do the same thing by haveing an array of IR emitters on either side of the sensor board that shine IR at an object, to obtain its depth.

  3. d.gomba@arduino.cc Says:

    Taha, thanks for sharing the wonderful link.
    Please inform us as soon as you go on with this project

    Thanks for commenting.
    Davide

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