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An idea on how to make a touch screen work as a throttle General discussion
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Prolific poster 3,069 posts DKRickman Prolific poster 3,069 posts
DKRickman

I posted this in another forum, and thought it might be interesting to spark some discussion here as well.  Some of you know that I am not favorably inclined toward using a touch screen device as a throttle.  The problem is that there are times I need to look at the train, not the throttle, but there's no way to find the various controls without looking at them.

Then I had an idea...

I start with the assumption that there are only two things which a user wants to do while NOT looking at the throttle - control the speed and direction.  Everything else can be afforded a second or two to glance at the screen.  The problem is that one cannot find a speed or direction control on a smooth screen without looking at it.  The solution is to make the control a relative motion, not a location.  In other words, moving my fingertip in a clockwise circle anywhere on the screen should make the engine go faster, and of course counterclockwise makes it go slower.  Any linear reverse (left, right, left; up, down, up; etc.) should cause the engine to reverse direction.  Furthermore, the control should allow me to place my thumb tip on the screen and without lifting it perform all the actions in sequence.  It might also have a separate switching mode in which dragging my finger left makes the engine go left, stopping makes it stop, right goes right, etc.  In other words, the motion (for the purposes of spotting, uncoupling, etc.) should directly mimic the motion of my finger.
 
I hope that makes sense.  It's not quite as easy to program, I'm sure, but it's the only way I can imagine for a touch screen to be useful without some form of tactile feedback about where the controls are located.

Ken Rickman

Danville & Western HO modeler and web historian

http://southern-railway.railfan.net/dw/
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Jurgen Kleylein Prolific poster 1,119 posts
Jurgen Kleylein

Jack of all trades, master of none

The problem with using a touchscreen is it can do almost anything one can program it to do, but it won't do any of them as well as a dedicated device.  I still find my cell phone annoying in that it activates things I don't want and does things I don't intend unless I watch very carefully and make sure it's behaving.  It works best when I slide out the keyboard and can press actual keys to type a message.  That should tell you something.

Jurgen

HO Deutsche Bundesbahn circa 1970

Visit the HO Sudbury Division at http://sudburydivision.ca/

The preceding message may not conform to NMRA recommended practices.
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robteed Frequent poster 865 posts
robteed

Smartphone throttle control

We use Smartphones on our club layout and for the most part people who tried them liked it. It is really pretty easy to control speed and direction without looking at the screen using "Enginedriver". I think "WiThrottle" is the same way, once you get comfortable with the "feel" of the phone and "memorize" the movements I see no reason to have to look at the screen for forward /reverse or faster/slower...maybe for sounds but I would think even with a cab controller you may need to look at it sometimes.Engine driver allows you to set a "wider" throttle button which may help.

Rob Teed

Railyard Productions

http://www.youtube.com/user/dreambuilders48808?feature=mhee

http://www.modelrailroadtech.com

http://railyardproductions.com
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Benny MRH Author 7,112 posts
Benny

You're a genius, Ken!!

Ken, you've nailed it, I think...

though I bet it's already in use elsewhere...

But you've absolutely nailed what the "button" people have yet to do - you've "thought outside the button!"

The whole screen IS the button!!!

--------------------------------------------------------

Benny's Index or Somewhere Chasing Rabbits
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Kevin Rowbotham Prolific poster 2,336 posts
Kevin Rowbotham

Oh Great, Kinnect for the Model Railroad

Remind me again why technology is so great...

~Kevin

Appreciating Modeling In All Scales but majoring in HO!

Not everybody likes me, luckily not everybody matters.
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Mike MILW199 Regular poster 285 posts
Mike MILW199

Lantern signals

Just a few issues with this one. 

Different railroads used different hand signals.  What is interpreted as "spotting a car" one place would be "go to lunch"  somewhere else. 

Would the screen have a kerosene flame showing while the moves are being made?  

Just makes me wonder how much scenery damage would be inflicted...  Bruce Chubb outlined some smaller scale hand signals in the old "How To Operate Your Model Railroad" that would most likely be more suitable for the task.

Mike  former WSOR engineer  "Safety First (unless it costs money)"  http://www.wcgdrailroad.com/
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RussR Active Member 40 posts
RussR

kinect for windows

with Kinect for Windows and the SDK out February 1 i think this is actually a very good idea!

might even be a good program to sell (seeing as the xbox kinect sensor is so cheap now and all you need to hook up to your PC)
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Kevin Rowbotham Prolific poster 2,336 posts
Kevin Rowbotham

We'll see...

Quote:

with Kinect for Windows and the SDK out February 1 i think this is actually a very good idea!

might even be a good program to sell (seeing as the xbox kinect sensor is so cheap now and all you need to hook up to your PC)

Maybe you're right.  On the other hand, I wonder if you'll need a subscription to XBOX LIVE to run your model railroad?

 

~Kevin

Appreciating Modeling In All Scales but majoring in HO!

Not everybody likes me, luckily not everybody matters.
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