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Tech

Arduino + Laptop Touchpad

by japala on February 4, 2011

Table of Contents
Arduino + Laptop Touchpad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Intro: Arduino + Laptop Touchpad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Step 1: Putting the touchpad together . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Step 2: Coding - Part I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Step 3: Coding - Part II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Related Instructables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

http://www.instructables.com/id/Arduino-Laptop-Touchpad/

Intro: Arduino + Laptop Touchpad

Yes, this is more or less your average touchpad that one can find from inside a laptop. This model, like majority of touchpads out there operates with PS/2 standard. This
means that it can be directly plugged in to a PS/2 connector and with proper drivers, function as a mouse.
As it happens the PS/2 communication is not that difficult to achieve with an Arduino board. Kristopher has written an Arduino/Wiring library that offers all the functionality
that we need at this point.
I will be using the MAX7219 Led Controller too and for this one can use LedControl library , written by Eberhard Fahle.

Step 1: Putting the touchpad together

I happened to find this TouchPad from inside a dead Fujitsu Siemens laptop. Model number for the pad is ALPS JCI-S1S. These kind of modules are easy to source also
from ebay etc.
Ground and supply voltage pins are usually easy to guess just by looking at the circuit board but the data and clock pins were found by just pure trial and error method.
As the flexible cable is not the best suited for use with Arduino, I soldered better wires for the pins. Hot glue was used to make the connection more secure.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Arduino-Laptop-Touchpad/

Step 2: Coding - Part I

Here are both the TouchPad and the 8x8 Ledmatrix hooked up to Arduino. Touchpad uses the 5 and 6 pins on Arduino and the MAX7219 utilizes the pins 10, 11 and 12.
What goes were can be easy seen inside the code.
First test - Direction and buttons

TouchPad reports the movement of the finger. One gets a pair of coordinates that indicated the amount of movement and the direction from the last position. For example
-12, 2 would mean a swipe towards 10 o'clock and the X-axis movement being faster.
As it turns out, even the tap functionality works perfectly.
---------------------The code:
// Arduino + Laptop TouchPad. Basic functionality
//
// http://Metku.net
// Jani Pnkk
// 23.07.2009
#include "PS2Mouse.h"
#include "LedControl.h"
#define MDATA 5 // touchpad ps/2 data pin
#define MCLK 6 // touchpad ps/2 clock pin
#define SENSITIVITY 5 // amount of movement needed to get a reaction
LedControl lc=LedControl(12,11,10,1); // forum pin outs
PS2Mouse mouse_one(MCLK, MDATA, REMOTE);
void setup()
{
lc.setIntensity(0,8);
lc.shutdown(0,false); // need to take MAX out of shutdown
lc.clearDisplay(0);
delay(10);
Serial.begin(115200);

http://www.instructables.com/id/Arduino-Laptop-Touchpad/

mouse_one.initialize();
mouse_one.set_scaling_1_1();
}
void loop()
{
int data[2];
mouse_one.report(data);
Serial.print(data[0]); // Status Byte
Serial.print(":");
Serial.print(data[1]); // X Movement Data
Serial.print(",");
Serial.print(data[2]); // Y Movement Data
Serial.println();
// draw the initial box to the center
lc.clearDisplay(0);
// if no movement, light up the center block
if(data[1]==0 && data[2]==0)
{
lc.setLed(0,3,3,true);
lc.setLed(0,3,4,true);
lc.setLed(0,4,3,true);
lc.setLed(0,4,4,true);
}
// X-movement
if(data[1]>SENSITIVITY)
{
lc.setLed(0,1,3,true);
lc.setLed(0,1,4,true);
lc.setLed(0,2,3,true);
lc.setLed(0,2,4,true);
}
if(data[1]<-SENSITIVITY)
{
lc.setLed(0,5,3,true);
lc.setLed(0,5,4,true);
lc.setLed(0,6,3,true);
lc.setLed(0,6,4,true);
}
// Y-movement
if(data[2]>SENSITIVITY)
{
lc.setLed(0,3,1,true);
lc.setLed(0,3,2,true);
lc.setLed(0,4,1,true);
lc.setLed(0,4,2,true);
}
if(data[2]<-SENSITIVITY)
{
lc.setLed(0,3,5,true);
lc.setLed(0,3,6,true);
lc.setLed(0,4,5,true);
lc.setLed(0,4,6,true);
}
// Left button
if(data[0]==10)
{
lc.setLed(0,0,6,true);
lc.setLed(0,0,7,true);
lc.setLed(0,1,6,true);
lc.setLed(0,1,7,true);
}
// Middle button
if(data[0]==12)
{
lc.setLed(0,3,6,true);
lc.setLed(0,3,7,true);
lc.setLed(0,4,6,true);
lc.setLed(0,4,7,true);
}
// Right button
if(data[0]==9)
{
lc.setLed(0,6,6,true);
lc.setLed(0,6,7,true);

http://www.instructables.com/id/Arduino-Laptop-Touchpad/

lc.setLed(0,7,6,true);
lc.setLed(0,7,7,true);
}
// some delay so one can see the leds properly
delay(100);
}

Image Notes
1. MAX7219 Led Driver installed behind the led matrix.

Step 3: Coding - Part II

Second test - iPod style gesture

I adapted the code a bit so it could react to a iPod style circular gesture. This could be use to speed up a motor, increase volume, turn a servo etc... hmm... a game of
safe cracker perhaps... ;)
The code may not be the highest quality but it should give you the idea what is happening.
---------------------------The code:
// Arduino + Laptop TouchPad. iPod style gesture
//
// http://Metku.net
// Jani Pnkk
// 23.07.2009
#include "PS2Mouse.h"
#include "LedControl.h"
#define MDATA 5 // touchpad ps/2 data pin
#define MCLK 6 // touchpad ps/2 clock pin
#define SENSITIVITY 5 // amount of movement needed to get a reaction

http://www.instructables.com/id/Arduino-Laptop-Touchpad/

LedControl lc=LedControl(12,11,10,1); // forum pin outs

PS2Mouse mouse_one(MCLK, MDATA, REMOTE);
int value;
int i;
int l;
int dir; // indicates where user is "turning" the dial
void setup()
{
lc.setIntensity(0,8);
lc.shutdown(0,false); // need to take MAX out of shutdown
lc.clearDisplay(0);
delay(10);
Serial.begin(115200);
mouse_one.initialize();
mouse_one.set_scaling_1_1();
value=7;
}
void loop()
{
int data[2];
mouse_one.report(data);
// handle the leds. Made this way to combat flickering...
for(i=7;i>=0;i--)
{
if(value<=i)
{
for(l=0;l<=7;l++)
lc.setLed(0,l,i,true);
}
else
{
for(l=0;l<=7;l++)
lc.setLed(0,l,i,false);
}
}
// Moving to the right
if(data[1]>SENSITIVITY)
{
if(dir==0) // direction is counter clockwise
dir=-1; // dec
}
// Moving to the left
if(data[1]<-SENSITIVITY)
{
if(dir==0) // direction is clockwise
dir=1; // incrementation
}
// top of the "turn"
if(data[2]>SENSITIVITY)
{
dir=0; // we got the start indication (top part of the circle)
}
// bottom of the "turn"
if(data[2]<-SENSITIVITY)
{
if(dir==-1) // we got counter clockwise turn
{
if(value>0)
{
value=value-1;
dir=-2; // reset the value to something non-valid
}
}
if(dir==1)
{
if(value<7)
{
value=value+1;
dir=-2; // reset the value to something non-valid
}
}
}

http://www.instructables.com/id/Arduino-Laptop-Touchpad/

// some delay so one can see the leds properl

delay(100);
}
-------------I hope that you found this short tutorial useful. If you ever find this material useful, please, share your findings and projects with us. Either by registering here to
Allthemods.com or by visiting Metku.net . Thanks.

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Comments
7 comments

Add Comment

timcaird says:

Feb 12, 2011. 3:48 PM REPLY

Loving the Arduino-touchpad combo :) How easy would it be to adapt the trackpad for use with a PC? Could you output the Arduino to USB for input to the
PC?

japala says:

Feb 13, 2011. 7:37 AM REPLY

Well, if the PC already has a PS2 connector, you can just plug the touchpad in and it would work. And yes, you could route the data from the Arduino to
PC via the USB port if needed. With a simple program on PC side one could control the mouse, alter the volume etc. with this thing.
Arduino can not be used as an HID device. It can't be operated as a mouse or a keyboard on its own. If you swap the Arduino for example to a Teensy,
you could just plug the device to the USB port and the computer would recognize it as a mouse without any additional software on the PC side.

bears0 says:

Feb 8, 2011. 6:27 PM REPLY

you should make your own operating system with a little lcd display, maybe a calculator or some type of game.

jam BD says:

Feb 8, 2011. 1:55 AM REPLY

Very neat =)

japala says:

Feb 5, 2011. 1:46 PM REPLY

Questions? :)

madmanmoe64 says:

Feb 6, 2011. 2:59 AM REPLY

Read through this quickly (don't use arduino so didn't understand much) and I was wondering if it is possible to use this without the attached hardware.
I have seen the touch screen digitisers for sale on ebay etc.and they look very simple, only four wires.
I assumed it was just V+, V- and two analogue readings which would give you the X and Y positions?
Do you know much about these? or if it is possible to interface with it on it's own?
This would allow me to program my own gestures etc.
thanks,
- Tom

japala says:

Feb 6, 2011. 3:49 AM REPLY

I believe this link gives a good idea about the technology:

http://www.touchscreenguide.com/touchscreen/res.html#4w
It would be fairly easy to use these touchscreen films with microcontrollers that have ADC in them. I haven't done it myself but there are tons of
material in the net on how to do this. But then again, it should not be impossible to use the signal the film gives with purely analog circuitry too. Just to
check which half of the film was pressed to see if the user selected the left or the right side etc... some comparators, opamps...

http://www.instructables.com/id/Arduino-Laptop-Touchpad/

http://www.instructables.com/id/Arduino-Laptop-Touchpad/