UI Idea

After owning multiple lights (NovaTac, Fenix, Nitecore), I haven't really found the perfect UI (for me at least). I do have an idea for a UI that I haven't seen before. I thought I'd post it to get some opinions.

It has 4 levels. It could be more or less (even infinite), but I think 4 would be good. Level 1 would be low and used to preserve night vision. Levels 2 and 3 would be medium levels. And level 4 would be high.

Here's how it works. The level is determined by how far down you press the button. If you just barely tap it, you get low. If you press it harder you get levels 2, 3 etc. If you press it all the way down, you get high.

It could also have 2 modes, depending on whether the head is tight or lose. Mode 1 would be a tactical mode, where you have to hold the button for it to stay on. It would work the same as above (ie harder you press, brighter the light).

In mode 2 the light would stay on. So if you barely tap the button, it would come on low. If you tap it again, it goes off. If you press it hard, it comes on high, etc. One other thing in this mode. If you're on low or med and you hit the button harder then the level you're at, the light will get brighter instead of turning off. That way if you tap the light once and you don't have enough light, you can tap it again a little harder to get more.

I think that would be the simplest, and the most natural design. What do you ya'll think?

Well, I'm a relative newbie in the UI department, but to improve upon your button idea, you could use a pizeoelectric transducer under the button for no moving parts. This would transmit pressure information (i.e. the degree of pressure) to the driver circuitry. This is also called a 'load cell', the advantage is that it is completely solid-state with no moving parts, and can be extremely reliable.

Doing more than two levels with moving parts in a reliable fashion would be much more difficult. Maybe that's why SF has only a two-level control using resistors and displacement to achieve this? My 1.5 cents.

Kestrel said:

Well, I'm a relative newbie in the UI department, but to improve upon your button idea, you could use a pizeoelectric transducer under the button for no moving parts. This would transmit pressure information (i.e. the degree of pressure) to the driver circuitry. This is also called a 'load cell', the advantage is that it is completely solid-state with no moving parts, and can be extremely reliable.

Doing more than two levels with moving parts in a reliable fashion would be much more difficult. Maybe that's why SF has only a two-level control using resistors and displacement to achieve this? My 1.5 cents.

Click to expand...

Interesting idea (pressure sensor), however I'd have to use one to see if I like it. I don't want to have to press too hard to get to high. Also, I like the idea of movement, because of the feedback. I'm thinking about the eraser thingy in notebook computers that are used to move the mouse. I hate those things.

I'm not sure how difficult it would be to create a multi-level switch, but I think it would be well worth it.

Nitro said:

Interesting idea (pressure sensor), however I'd have to use one to see if I like it. I don't want to have to press too hard to get to high. Also, I like the idea of movement, because of the feedback.

Click to expand...

Actually, how about using a reliable single-stage button like the SF 6P, but integrate the piezoelectric transducer inside the button. You get the simplicity of a reliable single-stage (with motion feedback), but the circuit board can also obtain force data and can set levels accordingly.

:thinking::thinking::thinking: I like it!

I wouldn`t hae a clue how to build one...but I could use one. Great idea :thumbsup::thumbsup:

Kestrel said:

Actually, how about using a reliable single-stage button like the SF 6P, but integrate the piezoelectric transducer inside the button. You get the simplicity of a reliable single-stage (with motion feedback), but the circuit board can also obtain force data and can set levels accordingly.

Click to expand...

Again, I'd have to use it to know for sure, but it sounds like it might work.

I'm no expert at switch making, but I don't see why it would be so dificult to make a reliable multi-level button. I'd even settle for 3 levels if it makes it easier to make. Although, imagine how cool it would be with infinite (or 256) levels.

Badbeams3 said:

:thinking::thinking::thinking: I like it!

I wouldn`t hae a clue how to build one...but I could use one. Great idea :thumbsup::thumbsup:

Click to expand...

All we have to do is find someone to build one.