Tactex Controls TCIMTCEXP100 Touchpad Input Device User Manual Multi Touch Manual

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Document ID	105818
Application ID	YToJ5plJWRL/XJScONNTYw==
Document Description	Users Manual part 1
Short Term Confidential	No
Permanent Confidential	No
Supercede	No
Document Type	User Manual
Display Format	Adobe Acrobat PDF - pdf
Filesize	35.54kB (444215 bits)
Date Submitted	2000-06-20 00:00:00
Date Available	2000-06-22 00:00:00
Creation Date	2000-06-02 04:24:00
Producing Software	Acrobat Distiller 4.0 for Macintosh
Document Lastmod	2000-06-02 04:25:11
Document Title	Multi Touch Manual
Document Creator	QuarkXPressª 4.1: LaserWriter 8 8.7
Document Author:	DCM

MTC Express
Contents
PART 1 – OWNER’S GUIDE ..............................................1-1
Welcome! ...........................................................................................1-1
What’s inside.....................................................................................1-1
Register me! ................................................................................1-1
Minimum System Requirements .....................................................1-1
Macintosh ....................................................................................1-1
PC................................................................................................1-1
Demo Connection .............................................................................1-2
Windows 95/98 - Serial Connection ............................................1-2
Macintosh - Serial Connection ....................................................1-3
Normalization Procedure .................................................................1-4
Why Normalize? ..........................................................................1-4
Demo Operation................................................................................1-5
Menu Commands ........................................................................1-5
Opcode Max components for MACINTOSH ...................................1-7
Opcode Max component installation ...........................................1-7
Tactex External Overview ............................................................1-7
MTCentroid External Overview....................................................1-9
Using Accessories ..........................................................................1-11
Using Graphic Overlays.............................................................1-11
Using A Stylus............................................................................1-11
Care and Maintenance....................................................................1-12
Wear surface care and maintenance ........................................1-12
Cleaning the Wear Surface .......................................................1-12
Customer Support ..........................................................................1-12
PART 2 – MTC EXPRESS DEVELOPER’S GUIDE ...2-1
Introduction .......................................................................................2-1
What’s an API? ............................................................................2-1
Who should read this?.................................................................2-1
Overview of the API ..........................................................................2-1
Requirements ..............................................................................2-2
Which Files Do I Need?...............................................................2-2
Basics ................................................................................................2-3
Gathering data from the MTC Express .......................................2-3
Establishing a Connection to the MTC Express..........................2-4
Getting touch pad configuration data ..........................................2-6
Getting Data from the MTC Express ...........................................2-7
MTC Express
Processing the Pressure Data.....................................................2-9
Closing a connection to the MTC Express ..................................2-9
A Complete Example ...................................................................2-9
Pad Configuration (Mapping) ..........................................................2-9
The Mapping File.........................................................................2-9
Where are the taxels? ...............................................................2-10
Calibration (Normalization)............................................................2-12
Normalizing the MTC Express...................................................2-12
PART 3 – API REFERENCE...............................................3-1
API Data Structures ..........................................................................3-1
API Function Descriptions...............................................................3-2
APPENDIX A – TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS.........i
APPENDIX B – FORMAT OF THE MAPPING FILE....ii
APPENDIX C – FORMAT OF THE
NORMALIZATION FILE ...........................................................iii
APPENDIX D – THE FINE PRINT......................................iv
MTC Express
Part 1 – Owner’s Guide
Welcome!
Thank you for purchasing your MTC Express. Your MTC Express
package includes all of the necessary hardware and software to get you
started in the development of new multi-touch applications for PC and
Macintosh operating platforms, as well as components necessary to
explore Opcode's MAX® graphical music programming environment.
What’s inside
The MTC Express includes all of the following:
- MTC Express controller
- Attached 6’ Cable With Serial Connector
- Attached 6 V DC (500 mA) Power Supply
- RS232/Macintosh serial Conversion cable
- CD-ROM (Includes Software, Documentation)
- Warranty Card
- Owner’s and Developer’s Guide (this booklet)
Please take a moment to make sure that you have received all the
components and that they are undamaged.
Register me!
Please be sure to validate your warranty by filling out and posting the
enclosed Warranty Registration Card.
Minimum System Requirements
Although your MTC should function satisfactorily with many common
hardware/software configurations, for optimal performance we
recommend the following:
Macintosh
•
•
•
•
•
Power PC (G3 recommended)
Standard serial port
3 MB of hard drive space for the required software
32 MB of RAM
MAC OS 8.6
•
•
•
•
•
Pentium II 233 MHz
RS232 serial port
3 MB of hard drive space for the required software
32 MB of RAM
Windows 9X
PC
1-1
MTC Express
Demo Connection
Both applications are identical in performance settings; the only
difference is in how the serial port is selected:
Windows 95/98 - Serial Connection
a) Quit any open applications, and disable any programs which
use the serial ports (such as HotSync for Palm PDA).
b) Connect the MTC Express to an available serial port.
c) Plug the power adapter into an AC outlet.
d) Place the CD labeled "MTC Express" into a CD drive.
e) Access the CD ROM and double click on the Demo.exe
application.
f) If the MTC Express is connected to an available serial port, a
message box will appear stating "Found 1 MTC unit". Click
the OK button. If you see a message stating "Unable to find
a connection to any MTC units" then ensure your MTC
Express power adapter is plugged in. Select "Connect" from
the "Connect" menu. If it still does not connect try a different
serial port.
g) A window providing some information about your MTC
Express will be displayed. Click the OK button. The demo
program will automatically start receiving data from the MTC
Express unit.
h) Touching the MTC Express surface will produce an image on
the demo program.
1-2
MTC Express
Macintosh - Serial Connection
a) Quit any open applications, and disable AppleTalk and any
programs which use the serial ports (such as HotSync for
Palm PDA).
b) Connect the MTC Express to an available serial port. Use
the serial to USB adapter if you are using USB.
c) Plug the power adapter into an AC outlet.
d) Place the CD labeled "MTC Express" into a CD drive.
e) Access the CD ROM and double click on "Run this Demo"
alias.
f) Select the serial port in use from the Connection menu – if
you do not know which to choose, try them all until one
works.
g) The MTC Express firmware version will be displayed. The
demo program will automatically start receiving data from
the MTC Express unit.
h) Touching the MTC Express surface will produce an image on
the demo program.
Successful connection will generate a view like this when you press
down with all 5 fingers.
1-3
MTC Express
Normalization Procedure
Why Normalize?
Your MTC Express consists of an embedded array of optical fibers that
are used to sense pressure. These pressure sensors are referred to as
taxels. The active area of your MTC contains a grid of 72 such taxels,
spaced approximately one centimetre apart. Normalization of your MTC
is necessary to eliminate the effect on the MTC's performance of any
individual variability in taxel response. Once normalized, the pressure
response from all taxels is set to the same level range— from 0 to 1023.
Select Start Normalization from the pull down menu The screen will
generate an image like this.
Now, run your fingers lightly over the entire pad surface as shown - note
that as you press down the area under your fingers will brighten then
remain dark after your finger has passed.
Continue until all light areas disappear and the screen looks completely
dark. Select Stop and Save Normalization. This writes a file called
normal.txt to your drive in the same locations the demo app. Copy this
normal.txt file, re-name it MTCnormal.txt, and place it in the Max
application folder. Experimentation with different hand pressure will
result in different sensitivity ranges for the MTC Express. Harder
pressure results in a less sensitive touch surface whereas lighter
pressure results in a more sensitive touch surface. Note that very light
pressure can result in spurious centroid generation that may not be
acceptable in any given application.
1-4
MTC Express
Demo Operation
Menu Commands
The Menu commands are the same for both Windows and Macintosh
applications and generate displays as shown.
Display taxels row col
Display taxels x y
Display interpolated pressure
Display pointers
1-5
MTC Express
Display pointers and pressure
Show text (numbers pointers)
Display pointers
Show pointer trails
1-6
MTC Express
Opcode Max components for MACINTOSH
Opcode Max component installation
The following items are provided on the CD:
Be sure to place the tactex and MTCentroid external objects into your
MAX/Externals folder and place the mapping and manual files into the
same directory level as your Opcode MAX application - as shown in list
view of the CD ROM contents.
Tactex External Overview
The tactex external provides a means to interpret the data stream from
the MTC in the Opcode Max Environment. The following section
provides an overview of the tactex Max external object inlets and
outlets.
Input
bang
In left inlet: Causes the external object to
retrieve a sample from the MTC Express
and sends the resulting data through the left
outlet as a list. Typically the "metro" object
is used with an integer argument between
5-1000 that set the sampling period in
ms (milliseconds).
connect
In left inlet: Connects the external object to
the MTC Express unit.
disconnect
In left inlet: Disconnects the external object
from the MTC Express unit.
1-7
MTC Express
start
In left inlet: Begins sampling data from the
MTC Express unit. The argument is an
integer between 1-200 that set the pad
sample rate in Hz.
stop
In left inlet: Stop sampling data from the
MTC Express unit.
getinfo
In left inlet: Reports the number of taxels,
columns, rows and stragglers through the
right outlet as a list.
samplerate
In left inlet: Reports the current sample
through the right outlet.
startnormalize
In left inlet: This initiates the normalization
process.
stopnormalize
In left inlet: This message stops the
normalization process and saves its
parameters to the MTCnormal.txt file in the
Max folder.
Arguments
symbol
Specify the serial port to connect to the
MTC Express unit. eg: Serial port .Ain is
specified as A.
Output
1-8
Left outlet
An array of taxel information from the
current MTC Express sample.
Right outlet
Configuration information (numtaxels,
nrows, ncols, stragglers)
MTC Express
MTCentriod External Overview
MTCentroid finds 1 to 5 centroids from MTC Express, counts how many
there are, reports this int and sends a list of x, y, z, (as floats) and age
(as an int) for each centroid found.
Input
start
In left inlet: connects as per the connect
message if not already connected and
sends the outputs at a regular interval. The
interval defaults to 5 ms.
stop
In left inlet: stops output from MTCentroid.
It does not disconnect, and MTCentroid
continues to function even though data is
not sent through outlets.
bang
In left inlet: causes MTCentroid to report a
single set of outputs. You can bang the
MTCentroid even when it is stopped
provided it is connected. bang does nothing
if it is not connected.
connect
In left inlet: connects MTCentroid to the
MTC Express unit and begins sampling
data from the MTC Express at 200Hz, but
does not send outputs.
disconnect
In left inlet: stops outputs if required, and
disconnects the external object from the
MTC Express unit.
int
In middle inlet: number of centroids (default
3, minimum 1, maximum 5).
int
In right inlet: pressure threshold for
centroid tracking (default 64, minimum 1).
Arguments
symbol
Select serial port to connect to the MTC
Express unit. eg: Serial port .Ain is specified
as A
int
(optional) number of centroids (default 3,
maximum 5)
(optional) pressure threshold for centroid
tracking (default 64).
int
1-9
MTC Express
symbol
(optional) name of the normalization file to
use (default MTCnormal.txt)
Output
Note: Values are output each interval (see start input) or on a
bang in left inlet
int
Out right outlet: the number of centroids
detected above the threshold, from 0 to 5.
list
Each outlet described below sends a list of:
x (float - in millimetres (mm), range from 0.0
to 145.0), y (float - mm, range from 0.0 to
95.0), z (float - range from 0.0 to 1023.0),
age (int – in milliseconds) from each
centroid if pressure is found above the
threshold value.
Out
Out
Out
Out
Out
1-10
left outlet: centroid 5 if found
2nd outlet: centroid 4 if found
3rd outlet: centroid 3 if found
4th outlet: centroid 2 if found
5th outlet: centroid 1 if found
MTC Express
Using Accessories
Using Graphic Overlays
For some applications, you may wish to develop custom graphic
overlays to identify functions assigned to a given area on the MTC's
active area (such graphic overlays will also reduce the wear and tear on
the wear surface). A variety of materials can be used for the overlay. For
example, an acetate sheet could be printed with the desired layout, and
then cut to fit inside the opening of the active area. We do not
recommend gluing or using adhesives to secure the overlay to the wear
surface. Instead we suggest taping the edge of the overlay to the edge
of the MTC's metal housing.
It is important to keep in mind when selecting an overlay material that
placing it on the surface of the MTC will have an effect on the MTC's
performance. The effect will be dictated by the characteristic of the
individual overlay material, but generally, the effect will be to reduce the
sensitivity of the MTC, and to spread out the spatial imprint of an
indentor (e.g., a finger or stylus) over a larger area.
Using A Stylus
In addition to using your fingers, you can also use various other types of
indentors such as a stylus on your MTC. We suggest that you use a
stylus with a smooth, blunt end such that it will not damage the MTC's
wear surface.
1-11
MTC Express
Care and Maintenance
Wear surface care and maintenance
Your MTC should not require any maintenance other than normalization
and routine cleaning of the wear surface. Under no circumstances
should you detach the metal housing from the MTC's base plate as this
could damage either the electronic components or the fibre optics
themselves. !!THERE ARE NO USER SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE
THE MTC EXPRESS!!
Cleaning the Wear Surface
The top surface of your MTC is designed as a wear surface. If at any
time you discover that this surface has been damaged (e.g., punctured,
torn) you should contact Tactex Controls to make arrangements for your
MTC to be returned to the factory to have the wear surface replaced.
You may find that with use, the wear surface covering the MTC's active
area may become soiled. Although the active area of the MTC is not
affected by moisture, the electronic components could be damaged by
moisture or liquids spilled on the wear surface. For cleaning, we
recommend that you use a damp, lint-free cloth to gently wipe the
surface clean. Regular cleaning with this method should maximize the
useful life of the wear surface, and prevent damaging the MTC's
electronic components.
Customer Support
Technical Support will be available to you by contacting Tactex at:
Tactex Controls Inc.
Ph:250.480.1132
Fx:250.480.1142
E-mail: support@tactex.com
Hours: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm (Pacific Time)
Please note that you must register your MTC Express with the supplied
warranty card, and you will be required to provide your unique MTC
Serial Number located on the bottom of the device (and also on your
original invoice) with any correspondence. Should you encounter any
problems using your MTC that necessitates returning it to the factory
(e.g., wear surface replacement, damage to the MTC's electronics etc.),
you should contact Tactex to make the necessary arrangements.
1-12

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Modify Date                     : 2000:06:02 04:25:11-07:00
Create Date                     : 2000:06:02 04:24:00-07:00
Title                           : Multi Touch Manual
Author                          : DCM
Creator                         : QuarkXPressª 4.1: LaserWriter 8 8.7
Producer                        : Acrobat Distiller 4.0 for Macintosh
Page Count                      : 14

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