iPod touch Can Anything Other Than A Human Finger Register A "Touch"

I too had the same issue. In fact it also was dealing with an app. I went a little overboard...I have access to old used plc's. One Plc, two ice cube relays, and a car door lock actuator later created my master piece. However, I quickly realized I had nothing to "touch" the screen as the door actuator pushed out and sucked in. After doing some reading on capacitive screens, I realized a penny connected to earth ground should work just the same as a human finger. (I'm an electrical engineer by day, extreme tinker by night). So I swapped my power cord to a three prong to pick up earth ground (my house is properly grounded). Landed the ground to a terminal block on my din rail, connected a wire between it and tapped the other end to a penny. That wire runs through a hole on the end of the actuator...so it moving slides the penny...it being grounded slides the screen around while I'm at work! The Plc makes it actuate every 30 seconds.

One could also use copper tape stuck to the screen (grounded), but ran through a normally open set of contacts. Having a cycling timer close the coil on the relay every 30 seconds (or whatever time you need). It would perfectly simulate someone tapping the screen where the tape has been placed.

You could try a grape. Not sure why it worked but it did.

I know what might work but only on pr0n sites [!]

Stylus. Seriously, use a stylus. There are many ones, but before you buy it make sure it isn't under $3 because they could be pretty crappy. There are millions - but I think they have some at the Apple Store which is probably the best one. Not sure though.

Source: mum owns a stylus, so does nanna, all my aunties and cousin.

grace4star said:

Stylus. Seriously, use a stylus. There are many ones, but before you buy it make sure it isn't under $3 because they could be pretty crappy. There are millions - but I think they have some at the Apple Store which is probably the best one. Not sure though.

Source: mum owns a stylus, so does nanna, all my aunties and cousin.

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I'm sorry I don't have an answer for you Tybouff, but at least I read the question! Incredible how many people only read topic titles and post useless answers here...

Typical stylii in the vein of the Nintendo DS stylus don't work with multitouch screens. You need one that makes something resembling the electric current in a human finger. Here's the one I used when I still had my iTouch.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Targus-Stylus-for-Apple-iPad/15406798

This is an old topic, and the person needed a stylus which could interact with the screen without the need for a human or other electrically conductive meat bag to hold it.
Read the topic before posting

a very cheap answer (and late)

I know its a very late reply but I found myself looking up this question yesterday, and I managed to work out a way to do this. This may be useful for people still looking for a way to to this. My reasoning is much like yours was, to play (cheat) a game on the iPod while I was away. Anyway I first started balancing batteries on the screen using tinfoil to earth them to the ground which at first worked ok but only for about 5 mins at a time. In the end what works best (though still not long periods of time) is to soak a small piece of sponge about 1cm x 1cm x 1cm in SALT water. Wrap tinfoil around the piece of sponge and make sure the tinfoil touches the ground / surface it is resting on. This for me works until the sponge drys up usually about 4 hours.

Hope this helps

Take a Nerf Elite dart (blue with orange tip) and a triple A battery (aaa). Put the battery inside the back end of the dart (negative side first). It only needs to to about 1/6th of an inch in to help hold it in place. then cover the whole thing with tin foil. It works without anything touching it and i use it for about the same reason as you.

A nipple works... don't ask.

EDIT

On Touch ID as well.

EDIT 2

Still, don't ask.

I have a solution today and it really works well but I will have to sell the technology

ADEBOWALE said:

I have a solution today and it really works well but I will have to sell the technology

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I have an answer to your (two year old) problem!

...But I can't tell you anything about it! Oh ho ho ho! It's like I have no answer in the first place!

I just saw this on kickstarter, probably useful??

called 6thfinger, check it out. I've bought one definitely useful for gamers.

A cockatoo tongue.

He was investigating something on my iPhone, with the keyboard up, and I let him get close to the display. He managed to type a character with his tongue.

While he does verbally communicate with us (and vice-versa), I don't have the patience (and I don't think he does either...) to teach him to text.

iphonedai said:

check it out, im definitely using it as a gamer. Not sure if this is what you looking for?
:d:d:d
image

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/the6thfinger/6thfinger-keep-games-or-apps-active-without-human/

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What... the...?

Is this seriously a 2 year thread about people that don't understand that you can just go to a store and buy a stylus? Or, like, a pack of 3 for about $4?

register a touch with robotic arm

any fruit will do. A lemon or lime, apple. Any

If only...

If only there was a simpler way of keeping count - if your touch point was exactly 1 rpm then a simple clock could keep count ie 60 taps per hour - oh wait what was the problem this complicated solution was for?

I understand you idea and have a similar need (i want to automatically close an application after a predetermined time), have you been able to find an reasonable answer? if you did, can you please share it with me?. Thank you

tybouff said:

Greetings all,

I am in need of a stylus or anything that will register a "touch" on an iPod touchscreen without requiring a human finger. I purchased a stylus only to realize that my fingers had to touch it in order for it to work. Would the capacitive touch screen sense a battery operated device? I do not need to understand the technology... I just want something that I don't have to touch that can still register a "touch" on my iPod's touchscreen. I'll explain why I need it if I find something that works. Regards,

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dazcox5181 said:

Am I the only one think this is HUGE overkill to collect 'points' in an app? How much Farmville do you play!

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"overkill" can be a very broad definition here on MacRumors and the internet in general

ackmondual said:

"overkill" can be a very broad definition here on MacRumors and the internet in general

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Dear ackmondual: Do you know what I want to do? Thank you for your useless contribution.

renekert said:

Dear ackmondual: Do you know what I want to do? Thank you for your useless contribution.

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It turns out I am confused, as your 2 posts in this thread appear to be useless too

Got it

tybouff said:

Greetings all,

I am in need of a stylus or anything that will register a "touch" on an iPod touchscreen without requiring a human finger. I purchased a stylus only to realize that my fingers had to touch it in order for it to work. Would the capacitive touch screen sense a battery operated device? I do not need to understand the technology... I just want something that I don't have to touch that can still register a "touch" on my iPod's touchscreen. I'll explain why I need it if I find something that works. Regards,

Click to expand...

Hello tybouff, i got it. And i have the same issue for a situation like yours, but i need to click 2 points alternately.
So i just want to ask if you already have the solution for this problem? - an humanless touch pen - no, a regular touch pen needs an human or an animal - my budgie doesn't do the job.

Or does anyone knows an android app that makes the job?

I know nothing of programming and very little of electric/electronics, any help?

thank you

tybouff said:

I am going to have to explain exactly what I need the stylus for because it is the only way to be fair to you guys for trying to help me. I know it is dorky, but here is the reason: I need a machine to tap my ipod for me so that I can collect points on a certain app while I'm at work. Obviously this means that no part of my body can make contact with the stylus. I already built the machine; it is a 1rpm electric motor that spins a wooden lathe. A rod lays across the lathe, one end hinged to the same platform as the motor, the other end clamping the stylus. The rod rests on the spinning lathe until it reaches a notch I cut in the lathe and drops (about half an inch). The stylus also drops, tapping the ipod touch screen every 1 minute. As I said before, the stylus I purchased for this setup (it was a capacitive stylus that works well when in my fingers) did not register a "touch." Some of the things you guys mentioned are probably on the right track. Coy-technorat... could you provide me with the exact model stylus you used to unlock your ipod touch? You mentioned bamboo... is that the brand or the medium? Thanks again to all who gave me their time. I really appreciate it. Even if I am a dork.

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I like the hot dog approach. The dorkiness of the solution is equal to the dorkiness of the problem.
Justice and balance!

Solution

Hello, based on previous posts i found a pretty simple solution. Anyone that posted a serious hypothesis before can ask me by PM. I can explain and show some photographs of the machine. i'm not an engeneer so i'll try to explain it the best i can.
It works very well and even in a very low quality 7'' tablet.

By the way, there are some apps to do this, but they need "root access" and i found it hard on this particular tablet.

In my case the "machanical solution" seemed to be simpler.

Thank you all