14 DAY TRIAL // Usually trackpads have various degrees of sensitivities, most of them good enough for artists to be able to comfortably draw their works without much hassle. However, none has managed to reach the level of precision and sensitivity in order to register the pressure of a paintbrush.
Recently launched on Kickstarter, the Sensel Morph promises to receive all sensitivities inputs, being the one pad that can record any sort of input you can possibly imagine. Measuring 240mm long by 169.5mm wide and 6.75mm thick, the trackpad is about the size of an iPad. It also has a lithium-polymer battery, that is meant to last for about a week of normal use and up to a month on standby.
The trackpad also has Bluetooth connectivity and a slim strip that contains multiple LEDs, while the surface itself is smooth and very sensitive to the touch. Backed by 20,000 pressure-sensitive sensors, they give the Morph a huge dynamic range and it gives it the ability not only to pick up the slightest touch, but it can also discern all the finer details of every input placed on that surface.
With a layout enhanced by Frog design house, Morph can be used for all artistic purposes available, from accurate drawing to being an accurate music accessory as an extended trackpad when mixing music from your iPad or laptop.
Its full specs consist of 1.25mm sensor spacing, ~0.1 mm tracking accuracy, at least 125Hz frame rate in full-resolution mode with a latency of 8ms and at least 500Hz in high-speed mode. It works with all available operating systems, including Linux and Arduino, and even supports an optional USB-to-serial cable.
Potential clients could contribute to the Kickstarter project by investing at least $249 (€215) for one Morph pad, and if you decide to spend $7,000 (€6,073) for five Morphs, you could spend one afternoon with the Sensel guys and even get your own custom interface.
I’d say this is a solid investment worth making.