5 Minute, Dirt Cheap Multitouch Pad
We’ve recently seen huge advancements in multitouch technology with the iPhone, WiiMote, and more, but this is by far the easiest way to build your own multitouch sensing system. Basically, all you need is a webcam, glass pane, and a cardboard box.
“If you ever wanted to interact with your computer using a multitouch pad (just like the ones on the new Macbook Pros), this is for you. Using simple materials and very little time, you can have a portable multitouch pad that lets you interact in new ways or expand the size of your current touchpad while making it multitouch.”
Materials:
- Cardboard Box
- Piece of Clear Flat Sturdy Material (ie. Glass, acrylic, plexiglas)
- Paper (ie. printer paper, tracing paper, almost any paper)
- Webcam or Video Camera (I use a Philips SPC900NC)
Software Needed: Touchlib
Optional Software (for demonstrations and use with Windows):
- Windows Mousedriver (inside the touchlib download)
- MultiKey Piano Application
May 19th, 2009
does this really work? which software do you have to use with the webcam for it to work as a mouse?
nice video by the way
May 19th, 2009
Software and webcam info are in the article above. And yes, it works.
May 19th, 2009
Software and webcam info are in the article above.
June 23rd, 2009
the program you need is—-> touchlib_beta_v2.0
November 17th, 2009
Why does this work? I understand that touchlib looks for high contrast shapes and calls them touch events, but where does the contrast come from in this case? I mean, without the benefit of FTIR?
November 18th, 2009
Your fingers on the white surface create the contrast.