[sdiy] iPod click wheel

[Sumanth Peddamatham]

> Aaron Lanterman <lanterma at ece.gatech.edu> wrote:
> > I was just fiddling with my iPod, and thought that it's slick touch click
> > wheel thingy would make a nice synth controller.
> >
> > How does that thing work? Are the guts of it available for purchase
> > somewhere for good proper flidding about?

You know, a few weeks back I had the exact same idea.  I did some
research and found:
http://www.qprox.com/products/qwheel_qt510.php

QProx appears to sell many other 'touch-sensitive' devices that are
available through Digikey.  For information explaining their
implementation, check out:
http://www.qprox.com/background/capacitance.php

I wired up a few circuits on my own using a copper plate and a 555
timer in a 'missing pulse detector' configuration, and it worked
beautifully.

If you are interested in an alternate, but equally cool haptic
interface implementation, visit:
http://mrl.nyu.edu/~jhan/ledtouch/index.html

I am trying to duplicate Jeff's effort using a few LEDs and a micro.

Sumanth Peddamatham