How does a track pad work?

Posted:
in Current Mac Hardware edited January 2014
Not sure if this is the right place to post this but...



How does track pad mouse work? Do you have any good links that explain it? Its gotta be some kind of electro magnetic thing right?



Thanks much!

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 3
    banchobancho Posts: 1,517member
    http://burks.brighton.ac.uk/burks/foldoc/64/118.htm



    touchpad

    <hardware> (Or "trackpad") A stationary pointing device used mainly on laptop computers. Touchpads provide a small, flat surface that you slide your finger over using the same movements as you would a mouse. They were originally developed to provide a more natural and intuitive connection for the computer user than the mouse.



    Touchpads use a principle called coupling capacitance, and requires a conductive pointer such as a finger. They contain a two-layer grid of electrodes which are connected to an integrated circuit (IC) mounted under the pad. The upper layer contains vertical electrode strips while the lower layer is composed of horizontal electrode strips. Capacitance from each of the horizontal electrodes to each of the vertical electrodes is measured by the IC. A finger near the intersection of two electrodes modifies the capacitance between them, since a finger has very different dielectric properties than air. The position of the finger is precisely determined based on these changes at various locations.



    According to one correspondent, you can use any part of your body, which is not surprising, but not a McDonalds Chicken McCrispy. You can use reheated Pizza Hut Christmas Pizza though.



    Synaptics.
  • Reply 2 of 3
    Hey thanks a lot Bancho!



    Sounds like that wont ever be a trivia question
  • Reply 3 of 3
    banchobancho Posts: 1,517member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by willcurrie

    Hey thanks a lot Bancho!



    Sounds like that wont ever be a trivia question




    Hehe, no sweat. My googling skills are meant to help mankind
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