stylus (computing)

The earliest computer-related usage for a stylus was in 1643 with Pascal's calculator.{{Cite web|url=http://cnum.cnam.fr/CGI/fpage.cgi?8KU54-2.5/249/150/369/363/369|title=CNUM - 8KU54-2.5 : P.245 - im.249}} The device had rotary dials that rotated in accordance with the selected numbers; with gears, drums, and clever engineering, it was capable of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division (using 9's constant). A stylus was used to turn the dials.

Later devices of this type include the Arithmometer, in the 1860s; and the Addiator, in 1920.{{Cite web|url=http://www.rechnerlexikon.de/en/artikel/Addiator|title=Addiator - Rechnerlexikon}} The Addiator was a pocket mechanical adding machine that used a stylus to move tiny rigid slices of sheet-metal that were enclosed in a case. On the side of a slice of metal there were numbers that became visible to display the result. It was capable of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. In 1967 there was a HEXADAT model,{{Cite web|url=http://www.rechnerlexikon.de/en/artikel/Addiator_Hexadat|title = Addiator Hexadat - Rechnerlexikon}} which allowed 4-function math to be applied to hexadecimal numbers for use in programming. The first use of a stylus in an electronic computing device was the Stylator, demonstrated by Tom Dimond in 1957.{{Cite web|title=Devices for reading handwritten characters|url=http://users.erols.com/rwservices/pens/biblio70.html#Dimond57|last=Dimond|first=Tom|date=1957-12-01|publisher=Proceedings of Eastern Joint Computer Conference|pages=232–237|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080705133241/http://users.erols.com/rwservices/pens/biblio70.html#Dimond57|archive-date=2008-07-05|access-date=2008-08-23}}{{cite book|author=Dimond, T. L.|title=Papers and discussions presented at the December 9-13, 1957, eastern joint computer conference: Computers with deadlines to meet on XX - IRE-ACM-AIEE '57 (Eastern) |chapter=Devices for reading handwritten characters |year=1958 |publisher=Association for Computing Machinery|pages=232–237|doi=10.1145/1457720.1457765|s2cid=17961928}}

Capacitive (also called passive) styluses emulate a finger by using a tip made of rubber or conductive foam; or metal such as copper. They do not need to be powered and can be used on any multi-touch surface that a finger can be used, typically capacitive screens that are common in smart phones and tablet computers. Stylus tips made of rubber or foam are often large, making it rather difficult to get precise notes or drawings.

Capacitive styluses work by distorting the screen’s electrostatic field.{{Cite web|last=Kazmeyer|first=Milton|date=September 28, 2018|title=How Does a Stylus Pen Work?|url=https://www.techwalla.com/articles/how-does-a-stylus-pen-work|access-date=June 1, 2020|website=Techwalla}} Screens that receive input from a capacitive stylus (as well as human fingers) can't register pressure applied by the pen; tilting of the pen; and can't distinguish between a capacitive stylus, your finger, or a resting palm as input - it will register all of these touches as marks on the screen.

Capacitive styluses are made of a conductive material (typically as a metal rod or barrel) to transmit electrical charge between the hand and a rubber{{Cite web|date=2019-07-15|title=The Science Behind Capacitive Styluses|url=https://www.nelson-miller.com/the-science-behind-capacitive-styluses/|access-date=2020-06-01|website=Nelson-Miller, Inc.|language=en-US}} or metal tip such as copper. Being free of any digital components, capacitive styluses can be cost effective to manufacture. DIY capacitive styluses can also be made with materials found at home.{{Cite web|last=Bell|first=Donald|title=How to make a capacitive stylus (photos)|url=https://www.cnet.com/pictures/how-to-make-a-capacitive-stylus-photos/|access-date=2020-06-01|website=CNET|language=en}}

Capacitive screens are very widely used on smart phones and multi-touch surfaces, where simultaneous use of several fingers is detected.{{cite news |last=Brandon |first=John |date=15 December 2008 |title=The Age of Touch Computing: A Complete Guide |url=https://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2336835,00.asp |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171227061947/https://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2336835,00.asp |archive-date=27 December 2017 |newspaper=PC World}} Capacitive styluses tend to work on any multi-touch surface that accepts input from a finger.

{{Main|Active pen}}

{{See also|Digital pen}}

Active (also called digital) styluses include digital components or circuitry inside the pen that communicates with a digitizer on the touch device. This communication allows for advanced features such as pressure sensitivity, tilt, programmable buttons, palm detection, eraser tips, memorizing settings, and writing data transmission. In order for an active stylus to function, its digital component protocol must match the digitizer technology it is interacting with. Active styluses are powered by a removable or chargeable battery, or operate passively by inductance.

Active styluses use different protocols by different manufacturers in order to communicate with the digitizer of a graphic tablet or multi-touch device. The digital protocol of the pen must match the device digitizer, otherwise input from the pen will not register on the device.

A resistive stylus works by applying pressure to the screen, causing two layers (a conductive and a resistive layer) to make contact. This registers as a touch input.{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}}

{{Gallery

|File:HTC Touch2 used with a stylus.jpg|A smartphone being operated with a stylus

|File:SAMSUNG_Galaxy_S22_Ultra_BLACK_(4).jpg|Samsung Galaxy Note series of smartphones, as well as Galaxy S22 Ultra, come with an integrated stylus called S-Pen.

|File:Nintendo-DS-Lite-w-stylus.png|A Nintendo DS Lite with its stylus

|File:LG Stylus 2 Plus.jpg|An LG Stylo 2 Plus smartphone, with its integrated stylus|title=}}

• Active pen
• Digital pen
• Pen computing
• Handwriting recognition

{{reflist}}

{{Commons category|Stylus}}

• [http://ruetersward.com/biblio.html Annotated Bibliography of References to Pen Computing, Touchscreens, and Tablets]
• {{YouTube|4xnqKdWMa_8|Notes on the History of Pen-based Computing}}

{{Game controllers}}

Category:User interface techniques

Category:Pointing devices

Category:Computing input devices

Category:American inventions