Button Mouse comes to Diamond

Edited by the Electronicstalk editorial team Jan 2, 2001

Diamond Electronics is to distribute the "Button Mouse PCB", "MediaPoint" and other force sensor products manufactured by InControl Solutions.

Designers of portable computing products, industrial controls and other devices that need precision human inputs to computer systems now have access to the "Button Mouse PCB", "MediaPoint", and other force sensor products manufactured by InControl Solutions.

Under a new distribution agreement, Diamond Electronics is to distribute InControl Solutions' products in the UK.

InControl Solutions, of Portland, Oregon, designs and manufactures a range of sensing and control products that focus on the man/machine interface for computer input devices.

InControl Solutions' core technology is multipath force sensing, using pressure-sensitive resistive arrays to convert applied force to a change in resistance.

The Button Mouse PCB is a miniature joystick designed for printed board mounting, that allows a pointing device to be installed in a variety of computer input devices, and to be fitted in a very small space.

A companion product, InKey, is familiar as the pointing device installed in the centre of the keyboard in many laptop computers.

MediaPoint provides a similar function but presented to the user as a button with 360-degree touch sensitive response, with output proportional to finger pressure in any direction, rather than as a joystick.

InControl Solutions can also supply interface software to accompany the pointing sensors, either stand-alone or programmed into custom microcontroller.

The underlying technology, Multipath Force Sensing, is also employed to produce a range of sensors, detecting force over an area, that can be used together with matching software for a variety of proportional control and interface applications.

To complete the range of input sensing products, InControl Solutions supplies membrane switches and custom-designed control panels.

The HMI division of Diamond Electronics, based in Sandbach, Cheshire, can provide multiple solutions to manufacturers of original equipment.

InControl Solutions' products will compliment Diamond's existing range of switches, keyboards and display modules.