Design of an infrared multi-touch surface for use as a computer keyboard

A multi-touch surface was designed and constructed to detect a person's finger when pressed against the touch surface, with the objective of developing a prototype touch surface computer keyboard. The prototype developed was a nine-key multi-touch surface designed to utilize the FTIR touch screen method while also maintaining a low profile. To ensure a low profile, the final design utilizes infrared phototransistors to detect and interpret incoming infrared light reflected off a user's finger in contact with the touch screen. The device proved it was capable of accurately determining which key(s) a user wished to activate. The keyboard measures 0.92" high which was within a 1" maximum thickness functional requirement.

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Mechanical Engineering.

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2014

Author dc:creator

• Torgerson, Nicholas J

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• David Wallace.

• Mechanical Engineering.

Statement dc:rights

• M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/92683

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/92683