How do tablet pens work?

lucmove · 12-10-2023, 01:01 PM

What is special about tablet pens and why can't I just lay a sheet of paper over a pressure sensitive tablet and sketch on it with a ballpoint pen?

rokytnji · 12-10-2023, 02:22 PM

My wacom pen on Dell XT2 Touchscreen has ckts in the pen with swtches.

All touchscreens are different also. Some are passive . Some not.

Edit: like on mine I can mouse pointer on screen with just my finger. Than tap close button to close. Basic mouse functions.

frankbell · 12-10-2023, 09:17 PM

This Wikipedia article gives a good overview.

pan64 · 12-11-2023, 02:12 AM

would be nice to know exactly which one do you speak about, there are a lot of different ways (as it is discussed on the wiki page).
I remember the old days when we used our CRT TV as a display for game consoles and used a gun to shoot something at the screen. And I wondered if it could even happen (did we shoot the TV??), finally it turned out that the gun has a sensor that detects the light on the screen and the computer could calculate exactly where the ball (light) was at that time.

Soadyheid · 12-19-2023, 09:21 AM

The pen works in a similar fashion to your bank card, the ones you just have to "tap" on the card reader. The pen contains a coil which both powers it and some switches and sensor chipery. No batteries required! The tablet has multiple coils within it which both provide the power for the pen and detect exactly where the pen is on the tablet plus identifying which switches have been pressed (Usually two switches on the pen barrel and one at the tip.)

Check out how a Wacom tablet works.

Play Bonny!