Gloves for smartphones - conductive bits? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: trys
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 26, 2018, 12:15:30 pm
content: Hiya all,Here in the UK we're about to encounter a cold snap in the weather with what is hilariously called "The beast from the East" (yea, we complain bitterly that the temp could drop to double digit temps below freezing).Anyhow, my wife has a pair of leather gloves that she can use on her smartphone screen, and I have a cheap woollen ones that can do the same.There is nothing obvious in either pairs of gloves that show conductive bits, so I'm wondering how they work, or how they are made.Also I wonder if ordinary gloves can be modified to be able to work with smartphones?Trys

author: Ampera
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 26, 2018, 12:17:55 pm
content: I have had some gloves that can conduct just enough through some materials to make contact. I guess it would depend on how porous the material is, or perhaps they have just put something conductive, but not visible on the gloves.Personally, I just take my gloves off. They are high visibility ones that are good enough for dealing with snow (where I live I normally even use sneakers in snow, because who gives a damn) and I can whip them on and off in a few moments.

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 26, 2018, 01:09:01 pm
content: Depends on whether the "touch" is resistive or capacitive.Resistive needs conductivity. Capacitive just needs something conductive that's close enough.

author: trys
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 26, 2018, 01:17:07 pm
content: I'm guessing that smartphones have capacitative touch sensitivity as you can still use one in a plastic food bag (a good trick to use your phone in the rain, by the way!).

author: Berni
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 26, 2018, 01:17:59 pm
content: Quote from: Brumby on February 26, 2018, 01:09:01 pmActually resistive touchscreens are the most versatile and can detect any sufficiently pointy object regardless of its material. The resistive layer is on the inside of the screen where the pressure of the touch causes it to come in contact with another resistive layer. The layers resistance is then used much like a potenciometer to determine the location of the touch.Capacitive are the picky ones, they need something that's at least slightly conductive and also pretty large to provide enough capacitive surface area. Not many objects apart from fingers fulfill that critetia

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 26, 2018, 01:20:05 pm
content: I sit corrected.What ... Doyoustand at the keyboard?

author: Ampera
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 26, 2018, 01:25:54 pm
content: I take my laptop into the bath, I though that's what everybody did...Then again my laptop is a Prescott Celeron, so if I did that, it would probably boil the water.

author: BradC
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 26, 2018, 02:36:56 pm
content: Quote from: TwoOfFive on February 26, 2018, 01:25:54 pmI used to take my Vaio in the bath but these days I settle for the iPad.

author: trys
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 26, 2018, 02:43:45 pm
content: Do you wear conductive gloves in the bath too?

author: Ampera
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 26, 2018, 02:57:06 pm
content: Quote from: trys on February 26, 2018, 02:43:45 pmNo, I wear nitrile gloves for special purposes.

author: dexters_lab
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 26, 2018, 06:28:26 pm
content: Quote from: trys on February 26, 2018, 12:15:30 pmthere are normally a few conductive fibers woven in, it doesn't take much to make them work. I wouldn't be surprised if there are also fabric coatings that could make them conductive enoughi found you can often make normal gloves work on touch screens if you just dampen the end of the finger by just dabbing it on your tongue before you use it

author: Halcyon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 27, 2018, 12:05:28 am
content: Quote from: TwoOfFive on February 26, 2018, 02:57:06 pmI really don't want to know what those "special purposes" are ;-)

author: Ampera
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 27, 2018, 12:33:51 am
content: Quote from: Halcyon on February 27, 2018, 12:05:28 amI mean I just think it's a good idea to clear out my drains while taking a bath, get all the gunk out. I don't like doing it with my bare hands.

author: trys
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 12, 2018, 10:07:05 am
content: Thank you for your interesting replies!After a little experimenting with bits of kitchen foil under the gloves and even poking little bits of wire through the weave of a very cheap pair of gloves, I have found Dexter's tip to work easiest - dampening the end of the finger works very well, and for a surprisingly long time (a couple of hours).I've also found there is a whole host of conductive fabrics out there which I'll try and convince my wife to buy some of next time she's buying fabric and materials of that sort.Trys