My Multi Touch Project

Smaller!

2009-08-31T09:09:00.000-07:00

ok, now i've decided to remove all the parts from the table and add a second mirror that i bought from Argos for £9.99 and by doing so the size has reduced from 13.5cms to just over 8cms and it still works.

i now need to fix it all in place and then try and fit the PC parts back in and vent it well!

Still not finished

2009-08-17T01:55:00.000-07:00

its been a while so thought id just put a quick note to say that im still working on this project just getting the bezel made for the top so might be finished this year!!!!! lol
just need a better PC now....................................and graphics card.......

Its getting better

2009-06-26T08:29:00.000-07:00

ive spent a bit of time now tweaking the program to make the software run a little bit smother.
now its still a bit jumpy but that's because my CPU is running at 100% so need to upgrade but its allot better that before.

Its working

2009-06-22T14:33:00.000-07:00

Well its now all wired up and up and running, now its still not finished but its getting there and after a bit more wood work and tweaking i should be finished soon.

sorry for the poor quality vid and i know the movement on the PC isnt the quickest but should be able to sort that out.

good day in all today!

its alive, ITS ALIVE!!!!!!

2009-06-22T05:35:00.000-07:00

so i got up nice and early today to continue with my project.

ive added the PC and LEDS plus the acrylic and powered it all up and it worked. i had blobs still, not as good as before as ive up a diffuser for the lighting but with a bit of tweaking it will be fine.

things are looking good for this project and not long until complete!!!

not good but then good?

2009-06-21T10:32:00.000-07:00

Ok so the acrylic arrived and i was more than happy until i tried it on top of the endlighten acrylic. i couldn't get any blobs! not even a hint of it working so that's out of the window but i will work something out.
at the moment i've spent the last 48 hours making a box to hold all of the components, it is a bit ruff around the edges but this is going to have a case around it once it's all connected and wired up.
i didn't have time to put the PC in but did manage to get the LCD screen in and then powered it up...................................................................................and it worked!!!!!!! i had a bad feeling that i would turn it on and either i would get a big band or the screen would be cracked but it looked to be working well.
i now need to put the PC inside next and sort the back light for the LCD so the light is even.
as ever i will keep you updated!

More acrylic

2009-06-18T10:18:00.000-07:00

Ok this is by no means an exciting update but ive received a sheet of acrylic 590mm x 590mm and 2mm thick. This is to go on top of the Endlighten acrylic as the Endlighten scratches way to easily so will put this onto as to protect it and if this gets damaged it’s a dam sight cheaper to replace.

I now have a week off work starting Saturday so will look to have the table about 90% finished.

The day of the LCD

2009-06-08T13:46:00.000-07:00

So ive spent most of today building a frame to hold the LCD screen and cam. so far so good and although i didnt have time to power the screen up i was still able to get blobs with the screen in place.

good day for me!

quick vid

2009-05-19T13:35:00.000-07:00

just a quick video of the MT in action. as you can see its miles away from being finished but its working so that's a good thing!

I got blobs!!!!

2009-05-17T10:41:00.000-07:00

Just a quick update as ive tested me LEDs with the acrylic and after a few tweaks i got blobs!! ive very happy with this as i had allot of extra light from out side and the whole room was very bright and this didn't cause any issues.

so now its time to build the table but this is now on hold as need to wait for pay day then its all good!

adding the LED's to the mix

2009-05-16T10:09:00.000-07:00

ok so now its time for the real test and to try the LED's work the endlighten. i bought some wood to use as a frame and got my friend to router the edge so i could drill holes and pop the led's through it. after a the routering was complete i started to drill the holes and once finish i put the led's through the holes but this wasnt good and i lost to much of the light so i was stuck on what to do.

After a few beers and thinking i had a look in my tool box and found those little tac's that you hammer into a wall to hold wires in. as they were 5m with and s was the leds that fitted perfectly and this is what i decided to use to hold the leds on a frame of wood.

its arrived

2009-05-14T11:31:00.000-07:00

Today after i got home from work i had a knock at the door and it was the delivery guy with my endlighten glass!!! so its all coming together and on Saturday i will polish the edges and try to attach the LED's to the side but im having troubles as the resistors from the LED's are getting to hot and need to some how attach to the glass.

lets see what Saturday brings!

First test

2009-05-09T14:08:00.000-07:00

Ok so just got home from work and had a very quick test with the LED's.
i put 3 out of the 4 strips around a peace of glass with the modded cam underneath the glass. it was very tricky as i had my partner hold the power supply and i was trying to adjust the program on the laptop to get some good blobs. like i said it was a very quick test but still managed to get some form of blobs but not the best. the real test is when my endlighten turns up, if that doesnt work well............................................................................................

2009-05-09T10:07:00.000-07:00

Well got into work today and on my desk was my LED's all wired up and ready to go (cheers John), so once i get home i will give it a test but without the Endlighten acrylic and screen as the acrylic hasn't arrived and the screen isnt in a box yet so will place the LED's over a peace of glass with the camera underneath it but it should still technically work.

Fingers crossed as if this doesn't work i will cry. please work, please!!!!!!

Taking apart the Ps3 eye

2009-04-24T14:23:00.000-07:00

Now its time to take apart the Ps3 eye. the idea of this is to remove the IR blocking glass. this wasn't to bad to do as i was using a great video guide by PeauProductions (big thanks to you).

first i had to take the outer casing of the camera and once that was removed have to take of the lens.

at the bottom of the lens is a small peace of glass that blocks the IR light so had to carefully cut it out, easier said than done.

once removed a had to put the lens back onto the camera but where the IR blocking glass was i replaced with a few layers of photo negatives. once all back together i tested it on my PC as ive downloaded drivers to make the eye work with a PC from AlexP http://nuigroup.com/forums/viewthread/2921/

So its getting there just, slowly but getting there.

The taking apart of the screen!

2009-04-23T08:09:00.000-07:00

This is the worst bit of the project as i know have to take the screen apart without killing it.
the first bit was easy as all i had to do is unscrew screws! then the fun started, i then had to unclip the bezel and was left with the metal casing.
i then took a few more screws off to reveal the wires under the casing but had to get an angled screwdriver to get to them. once unscrewed i then had to disconnect some wires to be able to get the first part of the metal backing off.
next i had to pop the rest of the case of with out damaging the ribbon cables or the screen its self. after around an hour i got it all apart but wont be able to test it until the table frame is made but im prity sure its still working.........i hope!

Next is the PS3 cam..

bye, bye LED's see you soon

2009-03-20T11:24:00.000-07:00

so ive now given my LED's with resistors and an old gamecube power supply to a friend at work as he is all clued up about wiring them up without causing a fire.
so he now has the task of wiring around 100 LED's together, rather him than me!!!!!!

Groovy, bagged some LED's

2009-03-01T10:09:00.000-08:00

Just a quick update as ive mannaged to get 250 IR LEDS 850nm 5mm for £6.21!!!!!

now all i have to do is wire them up.

Software

2009-02-15T10:00:00.000-08:00

Ive now downloaded the software needed to run this table. ive downloaded two programs, one being tbeta and the other touchlib. i will try both when its all up and running to see witch one i prefer but so far so good. (pics above)
Now im on the hunt for some IR LED's, checking e-bay at the mo...............

Shopping list

2009-01-07T19:44:00.000-08:00

Every project needs a shopping list so this is what i need.
1: PS3 eye
2: 19" screen
3: PC
4: IR LED's
5: endlighen acrylic
6: MDF

now at the moment ive managed to get hold of a 19" screen for around £80 and a PS3 eye for £12 both of these i will need to take apart.
So let me tell you what i plan to do. The idea is that i make a basic table and at the bottom of the table will be the Ps3 eye but with the IR lens taken out. then about 16" above the eye would be the screen but this would be taken apart so im just left with the screen its self and the back lighting will be placed somewhere else, as the screen is fully taken apart it makes it see through. above the screen would be the Endlighten acrylic, this is a very special acrylic that reflects light inside so it acts light a light. around the edge on the acrylic would be the IR LED's, the idea is that the camera will pick up all the IR light through the screen and then be able to work out where your finger or fingers are thus making it multi touch.
Simples apparently

The beginning.

2009-01-04T07:46:00.000-08:00

This is the beginning of my Multi Touch Coffee Table that i hope to have finished this year.
ive researched allot into this project and hope the everything will go well through my journey and this is going to be one hell of a task. the idea is to make i small multi touch table that i will use as a jukebox and photo display.
ive been checking http://www.nuigroup.com/ on a daily basis and this is the best site for all my needs and help. met some very nice and helpful people on this site.
so here it goes and i hope it all goes well...................................................