All iPads Wondering how the Apple Pencil's force detection works.

[wry]

It's quite different compared to Wacom and Microsoft's pen pressure mechanics. But I have the feeling that inside the tip there's some kind of piezoelectric force sensor that outputs a certain voltage depending on how much force is applied, which is then fed into an ADC that tells the iPad how wide to make the lines.

What's different about the iPad is that it's literally zero-force activation, like if you hover it 0.1mm above the screen it'll start to draw a line, and there seems to be an advanced gyrometer that more accurately detects tilt.

 

[Slartibart]

if only there was a way to type this into something which manages such type of queries… personally I would name it a „Vigintillion“… or a „Googol“ or similar… anyway:


Measuring the force applied by the stylus is trickier than it looks. A stylus needs to be able to sense the exerted force from multiple axes rather than just measuring perpendicularly.

The Apple Pencil uses a multiaxial force sensor to measure the force exerted by the user in both the axial and radial direction. This allows the stylus to take accurate force measurements irrespective of whether the stylus is held straight or at non-perpendicular angles.

Further, the touch-sensitive surface of the tablet is used to determine whether the stylus has touched the surface of the tablet in order to turn the stylus on or off.


you’re welcome. ?