pocket scale

[micgrob]

is there or can anyone create a small applet that can use the kaiser's touchscreen as a scale to measure weight, such as 0.3grams

[branedge]

...what's that white stuff on your phone?...kidding. kewl idea

[maxh]

Cool idea! So, is there anyone that can elaborate on the technical details of how our touchscreens function so we can figure out if the idea is feasible?

[KD8DNS]

Here are some links, im really liking this idea. I even believe it could work. I doubt it would work for measurments over 45g

HERE (http://sensors-transducers.globalspec.com/LearnMore/Sensors_Transducers_Detectors/Proximity_Presence_Sensing/Touch_Screen_Sensors)
HERE (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Touchscreen)
HERE (http://focus.ti.com/lit/an/slyt209a/slyt209a.pdf)
HERE (http://www.elotouch.com/Technologies/compare_resist.asp)


The reason I can see this working is the screen depends on the screen being pressure sensitive.

[micgrob]

well, we are able to change the sensitivity of our touch screens, can't we incorporate that into a simple application

[pandaboyy]

is there or can anyone create a small applet that can use the kaiser's touchscreen as a scale to measure weight, such as 0.3grams

Haha, you guys are funny... i hope it takes gram and dime

[micgrob]

can anyone do anything with this lol?

[badhellokitie]

I want a pocket scale! That would be sooo handy! ; )

[brynwall]

HAHAHAHAHA Oh, the possibilities! :)

[theyllib]

lmao its hilarious because me and a few of my friends have been talking about that for ages, and assumed it not possible. If it is, id pay. I got like $15 goin to whoever makes that program >D

[kilrah]

It isn't. Touchscreens of the kind you find on the kaiser are made of 2 layers separated by little "rubber spacers" (the dots you can see when looking at the screen when it's off in strong light). The pressure needs to be great enough to bend the upper layer and have it touch the other one. But as it's the pressure that matters, if you put a weight that is the size of the screen, even if it's 100-200gr the screen won't even feel a press.

[matttytn2]

It isn't. Touchscreens of the kind you find on the kaiser are made of 2 layers separated by little "rubber spacers" (the dots you can see when looking at the screen when it's off in strong light). The pressure needs to be great enough to bend the upper layer and have it touch the other one. But as it's the pressure that matters, if you put a weight that is the size of the screen, even if it's 100-200gr the screen won't even feel a press.

damn it! i thought about this before!

[maxh]

It isn't. Touchscreens of the kind you find on the kaiser are made of 2 layers separated by little "rubber spacers" (the dots you can see when looking at the screen when it's off in strong light). The pressure needs to be great enough to bend the upper layer and have it touch the other one. But as it's the pressure that matters, if you put a weight that is the size of the screen, even if it's 100-200gr the screen won't even feel a press.

I was thinking the same thing. However, it still seems like it could be done with a standardized container, such as a bottle cap. That way you have the same area always touching the screen, and just the force changes (pressure = force / area, and force is weight). Stick a standardized 1 gram weight in the cap, put it on the screen, run the calibration part of the program, then always use that cap to hold whatever you're weighing.

I still don't know if the screen technology would let this work, but I think there's a chance. Perhaps the program could sweep the screen sensitivity from low to high, looking for when a "screen tap" is sensed, if simply looking at the touchscreen output isn't enough to determing weight...

[MPIIIMan]

I got 10 on it.

[kilrah]

I was thinking the same thing. However, it still seems like it could be done with a standardized container, such as a bottle cap. That way you have the same area always touching the screen, and just the force changes (pressure = force / area, and force is weight).

I thought of that too, but seeing the pitch of the dots I guess the contact surface would have to be relatively small (like max 3x3mm), which would lead to the holder tipping over all the time... Not to mention the response on the screen is most likely less than linear, so one would have to always use the same "spot" on the screen to put the container on... At this point my little 500gr/0.1gr resolution pocket scale seems more convenient ;)

[micgrob]

oh well, thnx

[rickcaudill]

I don't know if its just me, but I think I'll look kinda weird at the spuermarket putting bananas on my phone :P

[theyllib]

Dude you have to be the ONLY person who thought, "scale? Bananas!"