Enhancement Request: function keys on the controller cap

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SoCalSwami
Posts: 4
Joined: Thu Aug 30, 2007 9:20 am

Enhancement Request: function keys on the controller cap

Post by SoCalSwami »

I would like to recommend the placement of function keys on top of the controller cap. As the attached image shows, I usually hover my left index finger over the controller while driving the navigation of the cap using my thumb and ring/ pinky fingers. The index finger could be utilized in a more effective way to give hot-key/button access with a series of piezo electric touch screen buttons. My complaint of the current design is button location and ease of use of the large buttons on the Spacemouse Pro. I have several more ideas regarding the design change which I could elaborate if you're interested. Thanks for your consideration.
spacemouse-finger-position.JPG
spacemouse-finger-position.JPG (39.01 KiB) Viewed 14922 times
Hypersonic
Posts: 265
Joined: Mon Jul 12, 2010 5:58 pm

Re: Enhancement Request: function keys on the controller cap

Post by Hypersonic »

Ya, that's one issue with a 6dof pressure sensing device: pressure buttons will make the device move in the direction you press the button. The buttons on top of a 2Dmouse are pushed in a direction that the device does not move (although the pressure changes friction with the mousepad.) That's why all of the buttons are off to the side on 3Dmice, not on the part that moves forcing you to take your hand off the puck to press those buttons which takes time, and no drag and drop operations like you can do with a 2Dmouse.

I'm not sure why you mentioned piezoelectric as that is electricity due to pressure. A capacitive touch screen on the top of the cap would be awesome, as found on smartphones and tablets. It wouldn't have to have video either. Just sense one finger gestures like pan up/down/left/right and single/double clicks. The panning gestures could be used to scroll through a menu that would popup on the monitor, while clicks would select the highlighted item. If you use your middle and ring fingers to oppose your thumb you'd free up your index finger to operate the touchscreen while simultaneously operating the puck.
Hypersonic
Posts: 265
Joined: Mon Jul 12, 2010 5:58 pm

Re: Enhancement Request: function keys on the controller cap

Post by Hypersonic »

A pair of piezoelectric sensors on opposite sides of the puck could work, detecting a squeeze. Both sensors would have to pass a threshold pressure simultaneously in order to activate the button to distinguish it from a mouse movement. The threshold would have to be high as users do put somewhat of a squeeze on the puck at all times to maintain a grip necessary to apply force to the puck in various directions.
Hypersonic
Posts: 265
Joined: Mon Jul 12, 2010 5:58 pm

Re: Enhancement Request: function keys on the controller cap

Post by Hypersonic »

Looks like Valve already had the "touch-pad controlling a pointer" idea for their new controller (they call it ghost mode)
http://www.theverge.com/2014/1/15/53124 ... -backwards
"...when you move your thumb on the Steam Controller's touch-pad, you can see a ghostly image of your thumb on your TV screen as well, and you can press virtual buttons placed there."

However it involves moving one of the thumbs away from one of the 2 speaker-looking touch-pads to do it, with perhaps a bit of stretching as well. With a touch-pad on top of a 3Dmouse cap you can continue to move the cap in all 6dof while at the same time operate the touchscreen.
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