Traces

Now that the keyboard hack is finally finished, and working properly, it is time to identify some keys for the programming side of the project.

Here is an example to explain how this works.

If we want a volume control on our Visualize product, these are the trace combinations we will use:

Numbers 1 to 12 correspond to the top 12 traces on the hack pictured (#1 starts at the top), and traces are those little black lines on the right of the hack!

• trace #12 is used, in a combination with other traces, for volume up, volume down and mute 
• trace #2 is used for volume down
• trace #4 is used for volume up
• trace #8 is used to mute the volume

How-To Mute the volume:

1. attach a wire to trace number 12
2. attach a second wire to trace number 8
3. touch the opposite ends of both wires together to mute the volume

I have illustrated it here with a push button switch...

Inside the button something the conducts electricity, like tinfoil, will touch both wires when the button is pushed down i.e. completing the circuit and muting the volume.

We will use this push-button principle to build the select button for our product.