Summary of ODD INPUTS AND PECULIAR PERIPHERALS: TOUCH THIS MACRO PAD
This article describes a custom touch-screen macro pad designed by Meir Michanie. Unlike traditional keypads, it features entirely customizable layouts with various key shapes and configurations. The device utilizes an ESP32 development board programmed via the Arduino IDE. Users configure the interface by providing a PNG image for the layout and a CSV file to define button functions. The hardware connects to a host computer via Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), appearing as a standard keyboard input.
Parts used in the Custom Touch-Screen Macro Pad:
- ESP32 touch screen development board
- Arduino IDE
- PNG layout file
- CSV configuration file
- BLE connection module
- Host computer
The need to provide custom controls for complex software packages has been satisfied in many ways, the most usual of which is to have a configurable keypad. It’s a challenge [Meir Michanie] has taken up in a slightly different way, by creating a custom touch-screen macro pad. Unlike the buttons, this allows entirely custom layouts with different shaped keys in any configuration.
At its heart is a versatile ESP32 touch screen development board of the type that can be found easily among the pages of your favorite online electronics mart. The Arduino IDE has been used to program the device, and configuration is as simple of providing it with a PNG of the desired layout, and a CSV file to define the buttons. The whole then connects via BLE where it’s presented to the host computer as a keyboard. The result is one of the coolest macro pads we’ve ever seen, with a limitless number of options.
With such a neat idea it’s perhaps no surprise among the numbers of macro pads that have made it to these pages there might be another take on the same idea.
Source: ODD INPUTS AND PECULIAR PERIPHERALS: TOUCH THIS MACRO PAD
- How is the device programmed?
The device is programmed using the Arduino IDE. - What files are required to configure the layout?
Configuration requires a PNG file for the desired layout and a CSV file to define the buttons. - Does this macro pad support different key shapes?
Yes, unlike traditional buttons, this allows entirely custom layouts with different shaped keys in any configuration. - How does the device connect to the host computer?
The whole connects via BLE where it's presented to the host computer as a keyboard. - What type of microcontroller is at the heart of this project?
At its heart is a versatile ESP32 touch screen development board. - Can users create limitless options for their macro pads?
Yes, the result offers one of the coolest macro pads with a limitless number of options. - Is this project similar to other configurable keypads mentioned?
Unlike the usual configurable keypad, this takes up the challenge in a slightly different way by creating a custom touch-screen macro pad.
