Things To Do With A Broken Laptop: Touchpad Hacking (part 1)

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  • Опубликовано: 21 авг 2024
  • I don't know if it's just me, but whenever I see a broken computer sitting around, I can't help but think of all of the cool parts and pieces that can be hacked from it! This will probably end up being a series about what to do with broken laptops, so to kick it off, we're going to salvage and hack the touchpad from a broken laptop. This means we're going to strip it out and rewire it to control other things! Let's see if this actually works. Also, GO BUY MY BOOK :-)
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Комментарии • 255

  • @hapaxlegomenon420
    @hapaxlegomenon420 5 лет назад +144

    Hey, I know you read your comments so I thought I'd share a little story with you.
    Back when I was like 10-13 not sure exactly (20 now so a while ago) I found your channel and was so excited because it was right up my alley with the tech/diy content. I watched a whole bunch of your videos (remember one on backtrack, and I remembered your green intro and the nut), but tragically forgot the name of your channel.
    I remember looking for it trying to track it down, I thought it was called wingnut, but all that got me was LOTR studio... I couldn't find your channel for the life of me. I tried every few years or so when it popped into my head, and finally a year or so ago I found it again on final crusade. So thanks for the videos, I couldn't believe you were still making them when I found you, and just wanted to share this. You were my youtube great white whale.

    • @Fixided
      @Fixided 5 лет назад

      That's really sweet aww

    • @Tinkernut
      @Tinkernut  5 лет назад +8

      Lukas, you are my new hero ;-) Thanks for sharing. People like you are why I continue to make videos!

    • @hapaxlegomenon420
      @hapaxlegomenon420 5 лет назад

      @@Tinkernut Thanks uwu you put a lot of work into your videos and it shows! Thanks for the years of service and good luck with your newest family member!

    • @helengorelik5412
      @helengorelik5412 4 года назад

      @random stuff why not?

  • @AndreasA.S.
    @AndreasA.S. 5 лет назад +146

    im going to use a touchpad as a hidden number pad for a door entry circuit.

    • @santhoshsamuel1055
      @santhoshsamuel1055 5 лет назад +3

      That's cool

    • @teddieschweiger9034
      @teddieschweiger9034 5 лет назад +2

      That would be awesome.

    • @ofsanjay
      @ofsanjay 5 лет назад +1

      good ideas. tinkernut subscribers are smart

    • @jjbailey01
      @jjbailey01 5 лет назад +1

      I totally need to do this for a security system for my old Nissan motorhome.

    • @DaPurpleJ
      @DaPurpleJ 5 лет назад +5

      not so hidden anymore huh ;)

  • @FLABrowncoat
    @FLABrowncoat 5 лет назад +55

    YES. IMO, "Stuff to salvage/repurpose from broken/defunct PCs and laptop" is a fantastic idea for a video series, because here in the US, it's ridiculously easy to come across computers being thrown out than any other tech. I've googled ideas for what to do with the laptop I'm about to junk, but can never find anything but "mine crypto" -- if it was capable of doing that well, I wouldn't be throwing it away!

    • @Tinkernut
      @Tinkernut  5 лет назад +1

      Thanks for the feedback!

    • @jopo6445
      @jopo6445 5 лет назад +1

      I salvaged a screen from my old laptop for a smart mirror. The laptop is still stored away and just waiting to be gutted for future projects

  • @borissman
    @borissman 5 лет назад +67

    Make a fancy light switch

    • @Luuk3333
      @Luuk3333 5 лет назад +8

      Turn the touchpad into a color picker for an RGB LED strip or lamp! And most touchpads I tried still work fine with a piece of paper on top of it.

    • @ryanchase2092
      @ryanchase2092 5 лет назад +5

      Dimmer switch on the y axis and LED color on the x axis.

  • @RDJ134
    @RDJ134 5 лет назад +50

    You Should use the Laptop case for a Raspberry Pi/singleboardcomputer project :)

    • @ofsanjay
      @ofsanjay 5 лет назад

      that's a great idea for a compact computer project

  • @trobolina2
    @trobolina2 5 лет назад +13

    Use it for a swipe based lock, Like on you phone where you unlock it with a pattern.

  • @addydiesel6627
    @addydiesel6627 5 лет назад +5

    Some of the best and smoothest scrolling trackpads can be found in the oldest laptops. Thanks Tinkernut

  • @haugstadianer
    @haugstadianer 5 лет назад +14

    Philips hue brightness and color control

    • @ColinXYZ
      @ColinXYZ 5 лет назад

      @Probably merlin We’re not sure yet After searching around I found that it is possible to use a Meshbee device with Phillips hue which could be used to achieve this.

  • @firefly2472
    @firefly2472 5 лет назад +12

    Would control my life with it.....
    Oh wait, dont have that.

  • @laurispeterisvejs4007
    @laurispeterisvejs4007 5 лет назад +14

    I have an old ThinkPad that i want to turn into a wireless keyboard and touchpad. Lets now hack the keyboard!

    • @luisgrajeda4147
      @luisgrajeda4147 4 года назад

      You can buy a kit for arduino nano and make y
      Your laptop keyboard to usb

  • @imppaco
    @imppaco 5 лет назад +5

    You should show how you connect it to a Raspberry Pi. Cool stuff!

  • @Djrulez203
    @Djrulez203 5 лет назад +8

    Control my smart bulb’s brightness. Or use it for pattern lock instead of numbers for my door.

  • @SebastiaanBosschaart
    @SebastiaanBosschaart 5 лет назад +1

    use the touchpad as a LED light controller, every x/y coordinates is linked to a color, black is down, white is up, and everyhting in between is a color

  • @Taras195
    @Taras195 5 лет назад +2

    You could use this to create a thereminvox - type sound synthesizer, where x corresponds to pitch, and y to resonance

  • @AndreasA.S.
    @AndreasA.S. 5 лет назад +5

    now for a series on reusing old screens

  • @mihaelpanjkrc7870
    @mihaelpanjkrc7870 5 лет назад +4

    I would use it as gesture controle for my DIY Bluetooth speaker

  • @R4monLP
    @R4monLP 5 лет назад +4

    add the Touchpad to a controller like the steam controller or ps4. Maybe for better aiming or something like that.

  • @mark879
    @mark879 5 лет назад +1

    I am very happy to run across this video. It looks like a great start to a really fun project!

  • @antospin4004
    @antospin4004 5 лет назад +1

    You could use that for drawing,just use a capacitive pen and draw there as you would do in a paper and then connect the trackpad to an application that translate X and Y coordinates into a line,i know that it exists but it's much less expensive than the commercial one. You could even set an alternative options to make a rubber so that in that specific X and Y coordinate it just erase or paint white...

  • @roccorid
    @roccorid 4 года назад +1

    Make control pitch and volume of an oscillator. Or the cutoff and resonance of a low pass filter.

  • @johnbobbitt6470
    @johnbobbitt6470 3 года назад

    12v application for a cars center console. Fiberglassed in the palmrest AROUND the so as to have a factory mounting for it. Also backed it with sheet metal for strength. Connected to raspberry pi as a control accessory, with hopes of eventually having dual controls. The other being the cursor joystick from an Audi. The touchscreen is a dashdash mounted 10” tablet display
    Also connected is a USB hub containing a DSLR dongle for AM/FM radio reception, USB wiFi adapter, and jump drives for storage

  • @TheRolfFR
    @TheRolfFR 5 лет назад +2

    You could use it with a drawing machine to move a pen on a sheet of paper

  • @jack8407
    @jack8407 5 лет назад

    GOOD TO SEE YOU BACK!

  • @user-md4nm6tb8d
    @user-md4nm6tb8d 5 лет назад

    This channel should have more viewers

  • @turtleb01
    @turtleb01 5 лет назад +1

    THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT I NEEDED

  • @Xfacehack
    @Xfacehack 5 лет назад

    Your explanation on how the trackpad was A freaking plus! Loved this video!

  • @edugames150
    @edugames150 5 лет назад +1

    I would control a midi device with it, x being one parameter and y being another(using control change). Arduino Uno usually uses a MIDI connector on the serial Port for command send but you could use USB on It, to replace the midi connector

    • @a-way401
      @a-way401 2 года назад

      @Edward Elric I would love to do make a DIY touchpad midi controller. Did you by any chance attempt this ?

  • @BaselSyed
    @BaselSyed 5 лет назад +1

    A gesture control system for a wheel chair would be nice

  • @SizemoreSystem
    @SizemoreSystem 5 лет назад +1

    I'm thinking of using it as a USB mouse or Bluetooth trackpad, but that's really simple.

  • @nephron9924
    @nephron9924 5 лет назад

    Congrats on the book btw! Will it be available as a ebook?

  • @TheKetsa
    @TheKetsa 5 лет назад +1

    How hard would it be to make a touchpad to USB adapter ? to use it as an external touchpad.

  • @electricruchir
    @electricruchir 5 лет назад

    Been following tinkernut since the start, still going strong and amazing. Keep up the amazing work! Waiting for part 2

  • @1983Chriso
    @1983Chriso 5 лет назад

    nice man good luck with the books sales :)

  • @brianpiper3188
    @brianpiper3188 5 лет назад +1

    A touchpad-controlled CNC router would be cool! Start with an etch a sketch for proof of concept.

  • @itsandyme9192
    @itsandyme9192 2 года назад

    If the track pad was smaller, it would be a neat interface for a TV remote control, or a gamepad.

  • @bladesman123
    @bladesman123 5 лет назад

    You could use it as a pressure pad to set off a detonator for an IED

  • @maxximumb
    @maxximumb 5 лет назад

    @tinkernut You could use the touchpad as a virtual dial combination lock. Say our combination was L3, R6, L10. To activate you would put your finger on the touchpad near the top (12 o'clock on a clock face) and drag your finger around an imaginary clock face, to the left in an anti-clockwise direction to 3 o'clock. Then around the clock to the right, clockwise to 6 o'clock. Finally left, anti-clockwise to 10 o'clock.
    To read the numbers from the touch pad, the Arduino would store the start position and then read in the numbers from the touchpad data. As the finger moves around the imaginary clock face the X and Y values will change. So for our first number we're travelling anticlockwise to 3 o'clock. The X and Y will decrease, as we round the 9, the X will start to increase and the Y will continue to decrease. As we round the 6, both the X and Y will increase. We know when we are at the three when the finger stops after reading in a number of data samples where X and Y were increasing but Y was increasing exponentially faster than the X. We hold the finger still for a half second and an LED lights so we know it's recorded the first number in our combination.
    Repeat this for each number. It will take a little trial and error to figure out the relation of the numbers leading to the numbers between the quarters, but I'm sure it's possible. I don't have a touchpad to experiment with.
    once the right number of digits for the combination have been entered, the Arduino can compare it to the stored combination and then trigger a solenoid or servo to open a lock if the combination is correct.

  • @harshvardhanrathi5499
    @harshvardhanrathi5499 5 лет назад +2

    Like swipe to open a door?

  • @moth.monster
    @moth.monster 5 лет назад +1

    Couldn't you just wire a PS/2 (well, mini-DIN) connector onto the ribbon cable?

  • @marianpelmus
    @marianpelmus 5 лет назад

    nice, I like this, I was looking for a video like this some time ago,
    thanks :D

  • @Aliens797
    @Aliens797 4 года назад

    Very informative video, thank you very much!

  • @victorpkstrength
    @victorpkstrength 5 лет назад

    Super cool! It could be used as a numpad replacement? You could draw your pin on the surface instead of typing it.

  • @gerry2345
    @gerry2345 5 лет назад +7

    You could control a Drone with that.

  • @rockax
    @rockax 5 лет назад +1

    Hook it to a motor then on top of it put a camera so you can pan around

  • @RetroAdventure
    @RetroAdventure 5 лет назад

    A book!? That is awesome!

  • @nephron9924
    @nephron9924 5 лет назад +1

    How about control colors on a led strip?

  • @MrLogut
    @MrLogut 5 лет назад

    Great explanation of how trackpads work but what about multi touch ones ?

  • @waynenocton
    @waynenocton 5 лет назад

    Excellent video!

  • @legacycz
    @legacycz 5 лет назад

    I like this new graphics :). Also, interesting video.

  • @dfgaJK
    @dfgaJK 5 лет назад +3

    But how does multi point touch work??

    • @uponthefaceoftheabyss4254
      @uponthefaceoftheabyss4254 5 лет назад +1

      both increase capacitance, using average change for one you can calculate when and where there are two

  • @yousefgharaibeh6173
    @yousefgharaibeh6173 5 лет назад

    For example, you can control an Arduino servo motor, Or make it an extension for another laptop or phone, or to a Raspberry Pi. That will be a good project I think.

  • @williamburns1
    @williamburns1 5 лет назад +1

    I would use it to control the color of the lights

  • @TechBuild
    @TechBuild 5 лет назад

    What about controlling a remote controlled car? The finger strokes could be used to control its speed and direction.

  • @mathesonstep
    @mathesonstep 5 лет назад +2

    Control an RGB Hue Light

  • @kedarprabhudessai
    @kedarprabhudessai 5 лет назад +1

    Hi nice video again 👌👌😀. I will be happy to make a rgb pallet controller out of it. Just stick a rgb pallet photo on mouse pad and somehow figure out how to map those values to.rgb pallet and thus controlling rgb lighting. I know it can be done using smartphone more easily but it can be fun with this touchpad 😺

  • @dazbrugernavn
    @dazbrugernavn 5 лет назад

    Could be cool to use it as some philips hue gesture control button, since its so flat it could sit nice on a wall :)

  • @Costel1986
    @Costel1986 5 лет назад

    Put it on an a gamepad replacing the direction potentiometer with a touchpad.

  • @Pedritox0953
    @Pedritox0953 5 лет назад

    Great channel!

  • @napalmstrike2007
    @napalmstrike2007 5 лет назад

    Make a bug walk on it. Then make a laser that points at the X and Y coordinates of that bug. Basically a fancy bug zapper.

  • @ArunShankartheRealOne
    @ArunShankartheRealOne 5 лет назад

    Standupmaths released a book and now Tinkernut,I sense a story here .

  • @Baxtexx
    @Baxtexx 5 лет назад

    Lots of use cases for track pads. Unfortunatly almost all old track pads have pretty bad tracking.

  • @jayroland9481
    @jayroland9481 3 года назад

    Forget the silly goggles, why are you wearing a hat indoors?

  • @caco498
    @caco498 5 лет назад

    i just bought a lot of synaptics touchpads modules and I'm thinking in how to make a bigger touchpad device! Maybe putting 4 ou 6 side by side to make a mega touchpad your video is awesome

  • @crazyfroginsky
    @crazyfroginsky 5 лет назад

    TBH I would use it for another way to control a Car Media Center... like how people use the Raspi as a Car Mediacenter... just have it somewhere that is very convenient for the driver (such as a swipe right to change song, swipe left to go back to previous song, up and down for volume and so on)

  • @Urays
    @Urays 4 года назад

    A video on how to make a bluetooth speakers from a speaker taken out from broken or old laptop....

  • @imashish86
    @imashish86 5 лет назад

    Bell for home;
    Light switch; or rather powering up something and powering down unless the finger is released.

  • @46spikey
    @46spikey 5 лет назад

    I like the Lorem Ipsum book :)

  • @mathix420
    @mathix420 5 лет назад

    Very nice ! You maybe can try to make a lock pattern for computer (like in Android)

  • @AlejandroArcade
    @AlejandroArcade 5 лет назад +1

    Doing this with a laptop keyboard would be super cool, as many laptops have very good keyboards.

  • @jordanmunoz1813
    @jordanmunoz1813 5 лет назад

    i'd use it as a touch-pad to zoom in and out of construction blueprints/markups

  • @JessicaRyan7of9
    @JessicaRyan7of9 5 лет назад

    A switch for obs. Would be cool to see.

  • @mazendaghari2321
    @mazendaghari2321 5 лет назад

    you are the best bro ❤️❤️❤️

  • @EndriuGolara247
    @EndriuGolara247 5 лет назад

    Maybe it could be an input device like digital pen, for writing or signing smth on computer. Also you could make personal gestures, for example swiping right could be next song or swipe up could be volume up. Also it could be a keyboard, actually a numpad or pad with shortcuts. When I started watching this video I haven't thought that it can be any usefull, but now I maybe use my own old laptop trackpad.

  • @burgersnchips
    @burgersnchips 5 лет назад

    Surely if it's based on PS/2 you could just add the cable and use it as a mouse replacement for a desktop

  • @gregbenwell6173
    @gregbenwell6173 5 лет назад +4

    I would control my girlfriends' sex drive with it!! Of course I said that out loud and she immediately laughed!!! LOL!!

  • @visualimpakt3583
    @visualimpakt3583 4 года назад

    I'm curious how you solved the ps2 problem, meaning what connection options do you have if you cant use usb right?...

  • @landynj
    @landynj 5 лет назад

    Use ULTRA fine point sharpie to write numbers and program it to when you press the numbers in a certain order (Also known as a PIN code) it unlocks a door

  • @meeraaravind06
    @meeraaravind06 4 года назад

    Very nice video

  • @sampatsiaw
    @sampatsiaw 2 года назад

    i love my old lenovo keyboard and trackpad. Can I repurpose the other half of the laptop as a Bluetooth keyboard for my new devices?

  • @BloodAsp
    @BloodAsp 5 лет назад +1

    Nooooo! This is a good video, why did it end too soon!?!?

  • @wopperkasper22
    @wopperkasper22 5 лет назад

    I just preordered your book (paperback version) It’s like Christmas for late March :)
    I was just wondering.
    There is a kindle version of the book.
    So I was wondering if the book would contain a lot of pictures?
    Or will it be mostly text?
    I only ask because kindles can’t display color. (At least mine cannot)
    And if the book used pictures as instructions, I could be hard to read on the kindle.
    I opted for the paperback version.
    But I may buy the kindle version as a gift for my brother witch is why I wrote this comment :)
    I’m exited for the book and for what you will do next.
    Cheers from Denmark

  • @zoriorbit
    @zoriorbit 5 лет назад

    Nice video

  • @psynchro
    @psynchro 5 лет назад

    I don't know, I just hit subscribe when the wormhole into capacitive touch opened. I think the fact that I just used that metaphor explains why.

  • @lityum2779
    @lityum2779 5 лет назад

    Your version of streamdeck ?? sounds possible

  • @isaacmyers1676
    @isaacmyers1676 5 лет назад

    Turn it into a mini drawing pad for computers

  • @Aleinux
    @Aleinux 5 лет назад

    Use to remote control. What about your ssh tunneling? It’s finish?

  • @rock3tcatU233
    @rock3tcatU233 5 лет назад

    Another fun use for an old laptop is as a wifi detonator for IEDs.

  • @mkalidib8672
    @mkalidib8672 3 года назад

    I'm thinking to connect it with a mobile phone.. do you think this will work ?

  • @vibhanshubiswas8729
    @vibhanshubiswas8729 5 лет назад

    Definitely going to make one effects midi controller.

  • @JaydenLitolff
    @JaydenLitolff 5 лет назад

    Could you have used a ps/2 to USB adaptor and then an otg adaptor for the tablet?

  • @Jeff-Vader_head_of_catering
    @Jeff-Vader_head_of_catering 5 лет назад +19

    What would I use an old laptop track pad for? Well, you see, even though the track pad is only capable of keeping track of X and Y axes, I would use it to control an Indian Airforce Drone that is actually moving in 3 dimensions (or axes X, Y and Z) because Hollywood says it's possible.
    If this sarcastic reference eludes you, please see 2014's 'Interstellar'. I love Christopher Nolen's writing, but dang, dude! At very least, hire a friggin radio control hobbyist!

    • @AndreasA.S.
      @AndreasA.S. 5 лет назад +3

      if its multi touch, why not think of the pinch/zoom as a Z function.

    • @erlendse
      @erlendse 5 лет назад +2

      Add hold, tap, multifinger, "special locations"/function keys.. shouldn't be too impossible!

    • @Jeff-Vader_head_of_catering
      @Jeff-Vader_head_of_catering 5 лет назад +2

      @@AndreasA.S.
      I would absolutely love to see you attempt that with a physical aircraft in the air (and not crash).

    • @InefficientElectron
      @InefficientElectron 5 лет назад

      3D position can be controlled with just pitch and yaw or roll, so a 2D input device works.

    • @sauravgangwar2369
      @sauravgangwar2369 5 лет назад +1

      I know it's not possible, but it's necessary.

  • @EdaRaine
    @EdaRaine 2 года назад

    if i sell a broken laptop and they find a way to fix it does this mean they can hack into the laptop and have access to all my info? is it safe to sell my broken laptop

  • @voa.aquino
    @voa.aquino 5 лет назад

    Very useful

  • @edugames150
    @edugames150 5 лет назад

    You could use a Arduino Leonardo to transform this into a USB touch mouse too

  • @trimpta
    @trimpta 4 года назад

    Jokes on you my touchpad was already usb

  • @openlink9958
    @openlink9958 5 лет назад

    question: Im trying to replace the touchpad of my laptop but I cant find my model since its very old, do all the touchpads have the same connector? so I can just buy a newer one?

  • @filipstamcar6553
    @filipstamcar6553 5 лет назад

    How to detect multiple fingers at same time?

  • @dragosbogdan3450
    @dragosbogdan3450 7 месяцев назад

    Hi. Isn't more cheap ps/2 to usb adapter ?

  • @areamusicale
    @areamusicale 5 лет назад

    A Chaospad. Y'know, like a synthesizer chaos pad ;-)

  • @thereisnogravity
    @thereisnogravity 3 года назад

    how about the re-using the old laptop keyboard as a usb keyboard.