The Simplest High-precision DIY Touchscreen Stylus

by aleruete in Living > Life Hacks

7845 Views, 2 Favorites, 0 Comments

The Simplest High-precision DIY Touchscreen Stylus

57ea79522e7fb6ba8b00061a.jpeg
2016-09-27 15.44.15.jpg
Screenshot_2016-09-27-15-48-02.png

This is as simple as it can get with a stylus for capacitive touchscreens.

1) Get a wood pencil,

2) Gently chew the rear end of the pencil (if you haven't done that yet, anyway) until the lead is exposed and rounded (see close-up picture).

3) Use it as a very precise stylus (the screenshot is from Autodesk Sketchbook for Android on a Samsung Galaxy S5 Active). My screen doesn't get marked, and if so happens it can easily be wiped off.

I ignore the science behind, but I suspect that the fact that my pencil doesn't have a layer paint make this concept work. I have also tried to use the sharp end of the pencil, and although it works the "contact" is inconsistent.

Note: You can also use this stylus on regular paper!!!

Update

I am now wildly hypothesizing that the reaction of the screen to the pencil depends on the humidity of the wood. Why? because when it didn't work, I simply licked the tip of the pencil making sure the wood gets wet, and voilá!