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

T

tybouff

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jun 2, 2012
3
2
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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You can use aluminium foil over a blunt stick (rubber of a pencil, cap of a marker). It won't damage your screen, but i can't guarantee it. It works for me, it's cheap but it doesn't look very well.
 
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...

There are tons of capacitive styluses available. Ypu can get them at target or amazon or many other places. You just need a stylus that can conduct a small amount if electricity
 
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I was not clear: the stylus I need is...

Hello everyone, thanks to all who took their time to respond to my original post. Unfortunately I was not clear enough in my request. The stylus I am looking for needs to operate without my fingers holding it. How is that possible? The stylus will be attached to a robotic device that taps my ipod touch for me. Therefore, my fingers will not be touching the stylus and will not be able to send a current to the screen through it. I need a stylus that can interact with a capacitive touch screen completely on its own. I have searched the internet high and low for such a stylus, but no one seems to understand what I am looking for. I may be the first person in need of such a thing but I doubt it. Any ideas?
 
You'd have to build such a stylus yourself. It would need to mimic the electrical characteristics of a human finger.

And no, cutting off someone's finger and attaching it is not going to work.
 
You will need the tip to be clean and soft so it doesn't damage the screen. You will also need it to omit some sort of electrical signal or heat so it will register the device.
 
If you are unable to use your hands, you might use a very long stylus with your mouth. Or a situation where some material is in touch with your body and conducts the electricity to the mechanical arm touching the device. Otherwise, I haven't heard of a stylus that included the necessary electrical charge to be usable without touching the body.
 
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You could use your nose. Dog paws also work, but I heard that takes a lot of training.
 
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I'm not clear on the final intended use or application of the stylus so this suggestion may sound odd- you can use a hot dog (or sausage). It's not as glamorous and stylish as a stylus and depending on what you need it for you might need to replace it frequently- but it will work. I just tried it using a glove that doesn't transmit input from my hand.
--actually I just tried another capacitive stylus (Bamboo) and that worked perfectly (I rested the stylus on the edge of my desk and was able to unlock my phone). So any capacitive stylus should work without the human hand contacting it.
 
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Ok, I Didn't Want To Do This...

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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tybouff said:
Hello everyone, thanks to all who took their time to respond to my original post. Unfortunately I was not clear enough in my request. The stylus I am looking for needs to operate without my fingers holding it. How is that possible? The stylus will be attached to a robotic device that taps my ipod touch for me. Therefore, my fingers will not be touching the stylus and will not be able to send a current to the screen through it. I need a stylus that can interact with a capacitive touch screen completely on its own. I have searched the internet high and low for such a stylus, but no one seems to understand what I am looking for. I may be the first person in need of such a thing but I doubt it. Any ideas?
Click to expand...

Why do you need this? War accident? Smelting accident?

Couldn't you just jailbreak and edit the Plist of the app?

Scripting would probably be easier as well, and if that doesn't work, I'm 98% sure you could make an app for that. Physical manipulation via machine is the most difficult way I can imagine doing that tbh.
 
marcusj0015 said:
Why do you need this? War accident? Smelting accident?

Couldn't you just jailbreak and edit the Plist of the app?

Scripting would probably be easier as well, and if that doesn't work, I'm 98% sure you could make an app for that. Physical manipulation via machine is the most difficult way I can imagine doing that tbh.
Click to expand...

He already said it was so he could collect points in an app while at work
 
Capacitive styli will do. Out of curiosity... did you guys know water drops can register as touches due to the ions that are in the fluid?
 
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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...

Other appendages work too ;)
 
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Bamboo Stylus

Orange furball said:
The bamboo is a wacom pen. For the bamboo computer touch accessory. They sell replacement pens at www.wacom.com
Click to expand...

It's actually this stylus solo for iPad although I do have the other pens for my Intuos 4.. wish I could use the same one :)

My Boxwave stylus works the same way (not needing my hand to touch for it to register input) ... But in the end I did notice that you need to able to apply more pressure than simply touching the surface of the display. The reason for your device not working with the stylus you have now may simply be due to weight. I know the iPad doesn't respond to pressure (i wish it did !!) but I think it's responding to the size of the "touch pad" or size of the "finger". When you add pressure the rubber tip squishes down and flattens out.

I would either add more weight to the stylus so that the pad deforms when pressing into the touch surface, or I would try a larger "stylus" like a hot dog... you may also try this from adonit it uses a disk so perhaps this gives the surface area required to register a touch regardless of "pen pressure". I was thinking about buying one to see if it's a better drawing stylus (because I feel like I'm using a crayon otherwise) - point is - I don't have one so I don't know if it'll work if you just lightly rest the Jot on the screen.

Bonne chance.
 
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coy-technocrat said:
My Boxwave stylus works the same way (not needing my hand to touch for it to register input) ... But in the end I did notice that you need to able to apply more pressure than simply touching the surface of the display. The reason for your device not working with the stylus you have now may simply be due to weight. I know the iPad doesn't respond to pressure (i wish it did !!) but I think it's responding to the size of the "touch pad" or size of the "finger". When you add pressure the rubber tip squishes down and flattens out.
Click to expand...

I've had the same results, using a Just Mobile Alupen and a Kensington Virtuoso Touch. No contact with human hand needed, but a bit more downward pressure, spreading out the rubber "nib" at the end.
 
Yes!

Mt daughters is quadriplegic and uses a head pointer which is home made. I bought 50 styli pens (styluses?) online from China cost $39 delivered. I cut them in half and slipped the tube with the rubber tip onto the end of a length of golf club shaft (titanium). The pointer is approx 15" long and is attached to her head by a band and fastened with Velcro...never touches skin. Works a treat:)
 
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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...

"Capacitive" means something that can hold an electrical charge.

To simulate the touch of a human finger, you would need a capacitive material.
A material that can hold and deliver an electrical charge, without the need
of the human body.

But, most importantly, this capacitive material has to mimick the surface area of
the human finger. Like a foamy, silicone-rubber tip. A pencil tip won't work.
It has to cover a modest surface area. Not a pinpoint.
 
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