The
pointing stick (trademarked by
IBMInternational Business Machines Corporation, abbreviated IBM, is a multinational computer technology and IT consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, Town of North Castle, New York, United States. The company is one of the few information technology companies with a continuous history dating...
as the
TrackPoint & by Synaptics as the
Touchstyk) is an
isometric joystick used as a
pointing deviceA pointing device is an input interface that allows a user to input spatial data to a computer...
(compare especially
touchpadA touchpad is a pointing device consisting of specialized surface that can translate the motion and position of a user's fingers to a relative position on screen. They are a common feature of laptop computers and also used as a substitute for a computer mouse where desk space is scarce...
and
trackballA trackball is a pointing device consisting of a ball held by a socket containing sensors to detect a rotation of the ball about two axes—like an upside-down mouse with an exposed protruding ball. The user rolls the ball with the thumb, fingers, or the palm of the hand to move a cursor. Large...
). It was invented by research scientist
Ted SelkerDr. Ted Selker , is an American computer scientist who headed the Context Aware Computing Group at the MIT Media Lab and is the MIT director of The Voting Technology Project and Design Intelligence...
. It is present on many brands of laptops, including
IBM'sInternational Business Machines Corporation, abbreviated IBM, is a multinational computer technology and IT consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, Town of North Castle, New York, United States. The company is one of the few information technology companies with a continuous history dating...
line of
ThinkPadThinkPad is a brand of portable laptop computers originally designed, manufactured and sold by IBM. Since early 2005, the ThinkPad range has been manufactured and marketed by Lenovo, which purchased the personal computer division.- History :...
laptops (now made by Lenovo),
Toshibais a Japanese multinational conglomerate manufacturing company, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. The company's main business is in infrastructure, consumer products, electronic devices and components.Toshiba-made Semiconductors are among the Worldwide Top 20 Semiconductor Sales Leaders...
Satellite laptops, HP business notebooks and on
Dell LatitudeDell Latitude is a laptop brand from Dell, targeted for business use. This means that standardized parts are used throughout the line and are available for several years for support purposes. By contrast, the Dell Inspiron is aimed at the consumer market and its specifications change regularly...
s under the name of Track Stick.
The
pointing stick (trademarked by
IBMInternational Business Machines Corporation, abbreviated IBM, is a multinational computer technology and IT consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, Town of North Castle, New York, United States. The company is one of the few information technology companies with a continuous history dating...
as the
TrackPoint & by Synaptics as the
Touchstyk) is an
isometric joystick used as a
pointing deviceA pointing device is an input interface that allows a user to input spatial data to a computer...
(compare especially
touchpadA touchpad is a pointing device consisting of specialized surface that can translate the motion and position of a user's fingers to a relative position on screen. They are a common feature of laptop computers and also used as a substitute for a computer mouse where desk space is scarce...
and
trackballA trackball is a pointing device consisting of a ball held by a socket containing sensors to detect a rotation of the ball about two axes—like an upside-down mouse with an exposed protruding ball. The user rolls the ball with the thumb, fingers, or the palm of the hand to move a cursor. Large...
). It was invented by research scientist
Ted SelkerDr. Ted Selker , is an American computer scientist who headed the Context Aware Computing Group at the MIT Media Lab and is the MIT director of The Voting Technology Project and Design Intelligence...
. It is present on many brands of laptops, including
IBM'sInternational Business Machines Corporation, abbreviated IBM, is a multinational computer technology and IT consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, Town of North Castle, New York, United States. The company is one of the few information technology companies with a continuous history dating...
line of
ThinkPadThinkPad is a brand of portable laptop computers originally designed, manufactured and sold by IBM. Since early 2005, the ThinkPad range has been manufactured and marketed by Lenovo, which purchased the personal computer division.- History :...
laptops (now made by Lenovo),
Toshibais a Japanese multinational conglomerate manufacturing company, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. The company's main business is in infrastructure, consumer products, electronic devices and components.Toshiba-made Semiconductors are among the Worldwide Top 20 Semiconductor Sales Leaders...
Satellite laptops, HP business notebooks and on
Dell LatitudeDell Latitude is a laptop brand from Dell, targeted for business use. This means that standardized parts are used throughout the line and are available for several years for support purposes. By contrast, the Dell Inspiron is aimed at the consumer market and its specifications change regularly...
s under the name of Track Stick. It has also been observed on
computer miceIn computing, a mouse is a pointing device that functions by detecting two-dimensional motion relative to its supporting surface. Physically, a mouse consists of an object held under one of the user's hands, with one or more buttons...
and on some
desktopA desktop computer is a personal computer in a form intended for regular use at a single location, as opposed to a mobile laptop or portable computer. Prior to the wide spread of microprocessors, a computer that could fit on a desk was considered remarkably small...
keyboards (as an integrated pointing device).
The pointing stick operates by sensing applied force (hence it is also known as an isometric
joystickA joystick is an input device consisting of a stick that pivots on a base and reports its angle or direction to the device it is controlling. Joysticks are often used to control video games, and usually have one or more push-buttons whose state can also be read by the computer...
), by using a pair of
resistiveThe electrical resistance of an object is a measure of its opposition to the passage of a steady electric current. An object of uniform cross section will have a resistance proportional to its length and inversely proportional to its cross-sectional area, and proportional to the resistivity of the...
strain gaugeA strain gauge is a device used to measure the strain of an object. Invented by Edward E. Simmons and Arthur C. Ruge in 1938, the most common type of strain gauge consists of an insulating flexible backing which supports a metallic foil pattern. The gauge is attached to the object by a suitable...
s. The velocity of the
cursorIn computing, a cursor is an indicator used to show the position on a computer monitor or other display device that will respond to input from a text input or pointing device. The text cursor may be referred to as a caret in some cases. This term came about from older Unix systems that used the...
depends on the applied force. On a
QWERTYQWERTY is the most used modern-day keyboard layout on English-language computer and typewriter keyboards. It takes its name from the first six characters seen in the far left of the keyboard's top row of letters...
keyboard, the stick is embedded between the 'G', 'H' and 'B' keys, and the mouse buttons are placed just below the Spacebar. The mouse buttons can be operated right-handed or left-handed due to their placement below the keyboard along the centerline.
The pointing stick has a replaceable rubber cap, traditionally red on the ThinkPad but also found in other colors on other machines. The cap can be a slightly rough "eraser head" material (Classic Dome) or other optional shapes (Soft Dome or Soft Rim).
Features
The sensitivity of the TrackPoint is usually adjustable, and can be set to provide an extremely light touch.
Press-to-select is an optional feature, where a sharp tap on the pointing stick is equivalent to a button-click. The button thus clicked can be configured to be 1, 2 or 3. However, it is quite easy to accidentally "click" the mouse when typing.
Together with software wheel-emulation, the Trackpoint (and 3 buttons) can provide almost the entire behavior of a 3-button, 2-wheel mouse. Tapping button-2 will generate a middle-click; holding button-2 while simultaneously moving the pointer will generate vertical and horizontal scrolling events.
The TrackPoint III and the TrackPoint IV have a feature called Negative Inertia that causes the cursor's velocity to "overreact" when it is accelerated or decelerated. Negative Inertia is intended to avoid feeling of inertia or sluggishness when starting or stopping movement. Usability tests at IBM have shown that it is easier for users to position the cursor with Negative Inertia, and performance is 7.8% better .
Problems
Cursor drift is a ubiquitous problem among pointing sticks, requiring frequent recalibration. However, TrackPoints automatically recalibrate when the stick recognizes a steady cursor drift; to trigger a recalibration, the user must lift his or her finger temporarily off the TrackPoint for about 1 second.
History
The concept of TrackPoint was created in 1984 by
Ted SelkerDr. Ted Selker , is an American computer scientist who headed the Context Aware Computing Group at the MIT Media Lab and is the MIT director of The Voting Technology Project and Design Intelligence...
, a PARC researcher. He learned about a study that demonstrated that it takes relatively long time, three-quarters of a second, for a computer user to shift his hand from the keyboard to the mouse, and as much time to shift back. Ted Selker wanted to construct a device that would largely eliminate this delay. Selker built a model of a pointing stick, but actually had no time to work on it.
Three years later, working at IBM, Selker was able to refine the TrackPoint design and transform his invention into a product..
Comparison with touchpads
The pointing stick can be used in ultra-compact netbooks (see Sony Vaio P, for example) where there would be no place for a touchpad.
The pointing stick is positioned such that the hands do not need to be removed from the home row to manipulate the mouse pointer.
Some users claim it is easier to finely position the pointer than when using a touchpad because there is virtually no 'dead zone'. Some users feel that pointing stick causes less wrist strain, because user does not need to avoid resting wrists on a touchpad, usually located just below the keyboard. Some people find them more appealing for mobile gaming than a touchpad, because the track-point allows infinite movement without repositioning.
One criticism is that because the pointing stick depends on the user applying pressure, it can cause hand cramps (although this can be partly solved by setting the sensitivity to high, and lifting the finger when the pointer is not being moved). Another criticism is that it stresses the index finger and may lead to
RSIRepetitive strain injury , also known as Cumulative Trauma Disorder , occupational overuse syndrome, non-specific arm pain or work related upper limb disorder , is a diagnosis used for hand and arm pain that is believed to be caused by chronic misuse of these body parts, for instance, while using a...
injuries. In addition, a finger slipping off of the stick can lead to accidental pressing of one or more keys in immediate proximity.
A number of ergonomic studies to compare trackpoint and touchpad performance have been performed . Most studies find that touchpad is slightly faster; one study found that "the touchpad was operated 15% faster than the trackpoint".
Another study found that average object selection time was faster with a touchpad, 1.7 sec compared to 2.2 sec with a trackpoint, and object manipulation took 6.2 sec with a touchpad, on average, against 8.1 sec with trackpoint.
It should be noted that these studies measured pointing performance only and cannot verify or disprove the claim that trackpoint is faster in a mix of pointing and typing actions.
Naming and brands
| Name | Brand | Current Models | Past Models |
|---|
| TrackPoint |
IBMInternational Business Machines Corporation, abbreviated IBM, is a multinational computer technology and IT consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, Town of North Castle, New York, United States. The company is one of the few information technology companies with a continuous history dating...
/ Lenovo |
All known ThinkPadThinkPad is a brand of portable laptop computers originally designed, manufactured and sold by IBM. Since early 2005, the ThinkPad range has been manufactured and marketed by Lenovo, which purchased the personal computer division.- History :...
s (not IdeaPadIdeaPad is a line of consumer-oriented laptop computers designed by Lenovo. The computers were put on the market in January 2008.-Models:* S - extremely light and compact ** S9...
s), and Travel Keyboard with Ultranav |
Most ThinkPadThinkPad is a brand of portable laptop computers originally designed, manufactured and sold by IBM. Since early 2005, the ThinkPad range has been manufactured and marketed by Lenovo, which purchased the personal computer division.- History :...
s, Space Saver II, Model M13, Model M4-1, Trackpoint IV, Trackpoint USB Keyboard |
| PointStick |
HP Hewlett-Packard Company , commonly referred to as HP, is a technology corporation headquartered in Palo Alto, California, United States. HP has its United States offices at the former old Compaq Campus in unincorporated Harris County, Texas, Latin America offices in Miami-Dade County, Florida,...
(CompaqCompaq Computer Corporation was an American personal computer company founded in 1982, and is now a brand name of Hewlett-Packard.The company was formed by Rod Canion, Jim Harris and Bill Murto — former Texas Instruments senior managers...
) |
2530p, 2730p, 6930p, 8530p/w, 8730w |
2510p, 2710p, 6910p, 8510p/w, 8710p/w, nc2400, nc4400, nc6230, nc6400, nc8430, nw8440, nw9440, & tc4400 series |
| NX Point |
NEC, a Japanese multinational IT company, has its headquarters in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. NEC, part of the Sumitomo Group, provides information technology and network solutions to business enterprises, communications services providers and government....
|
EasyNote MX45, MX65, S5 |
|
| Pointing Stick |
Sonyis a multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan, and one of the world's largest media conglomerates with revenue exceeding ¥ 7.730.0 trillion, or $78.88 billion U.S. . Sony is one of the leading manufacturers of electronics, video, communications, video game...
|
Sony Vaio P series The Sony VAIO P series are a range of portable subnotebook computers marketed as a "lifestyle PC", although they share many characteristics with netbook computers.- Description :...
|
BX series, U8 series, UX series |
| StickPoint, QuickPoint |
Fujitsuis a Japanese multinational computer hardware and IT services company headquartered in the Shiodome City Center complex in Minato, Tokyo.. Fujitsu's central focus is on providing IT-driven business solutions, but the company and its subsidiaries also offer a diversity of products and services in...
|
P1620, T2010, optional on E8410/E8420, S7210, E8310, U2010 |
S7110 (optional), B2400/2500/2600 series, P1120, P1510, P1610, U1010/U810/U50 |
| Track Stick |
DellDell, Inc. develops, manufactures, sells, and supports personal computers and other computer-related products. Based in Round Rock, Texas, Dell employs more than 76,500 people worldwide ....
|
LatitudeDell Latitude is a laptop brand from Dell, targeted for business use. This means that standardized parts are used throughout the line and are available for several years for support purposes. By contrast, the Dell Inspiron is aimed at the consumer market and its specifications change regularly...
D430, D630, D830, XT, E4300, E5400, E6400, E6400 ATG, E6500, PrecisionDell Precision is a line of workstation computers produced by Dell, Inc.. These models have been designed as top of the line workstations. Some models support dual processors and high-end video cards....
M2300, M2400, M4300, M4400, M6400 |
LatitudeDell Latitude is a laptop brand from Dell, targeted for business use. This means that standardized parts are used throughout the line and are available for several years for support purposes. By contrast, the Dell Inspiron is aimed at the consumer market and its specifications change regularly...
; PrecisionDell Precision is a line of workstation computers produced by Dell, Inc.. These models have been designed as top of the line workstations. Some models support dual processors and high-end video cards....
; Inspiron 4000, 8100, 8200, 9100 |
| AccuPoint |
Toshibais a Japanese multinational conglomerate manufacturing company, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. The company's main business is in infrastructure, consumer products, electronic devices and components.Toshiba-made Semiconductors are among the Worldwide Top 20 Semiconductor Sales Leaders...
|
Tecra A9, A10, M9, M10 |
Portege (not current models 06/2007), Tecra A7, Tecra A8, Tecra M2, Tecra M5, Tecra S Series, Satellite Pro 4000 Series, Satellite Pro 410 Series |
| FineTrack |
Acer |
TravelMate C200 (Tablet), C210 (Tablet), 6410, 6460, 6492, 6492G, 6592, 6592G, 6593 |
|
| Mouse emulator |
Elonex Elonex was founded in 1986. It provides computer and related IT services. Elonex has become well known for its ONE and ONEt sub-notebook products and as a supplier of consumer electronics. A company named ECW has been nominated to be Authorised Service Centre for pre-2006 Elonex plc made models of...
|
Elonex ONE The Elonex ONE is a netbook computer marketed to the education sector by Elonex. The ONE's operating system is called Linos, based on Linux kernel 2.6.21, has Wi-Fi connectivity, Ethernet networking, a solid-state hard drive, two USB ports and weighs less than 1 kg.The ONE has been described...
|
|
| Pointing Stick |
Unicomp Unicomp is a manufacturer of computer keyboards and keyboard accessories based in Lexington, Kentucky. The company was founded in April, 1996 when they purchased the license to the buckling-spring keyboard technology from Lexmark International, Inc.Unicomp's product line consists mostly of old...
|
EnduraPro, Mighty Mouse (both for desktops) |
On-The-Stick |
Informal names
In attempting to avoid
trademarkedA genericized trademark is a trademark or brand name that has become the colloquial or generic description for a general class of product or service, rather than the specific meaning intended by the trademark's holder...
names and the ambiguity of the term "pointing stick", which commonly refers to a
stickA pointer or pointing stick is a solid rod used to point manually, in the form of a stick, but always finished off or artificially produced....
used to point at
chalkboardA chalkboard or blackboard is a reusable writing surface on which text or drawings are made with sticks of calcium sulphate, known, when used for this purpose, as chalk. Chalkboards were originally made of smooth, thin sheets of black or dark grey slate stone...
s or
flip chartA flip chart is a stationery item resembling a whiteboard, typically supported on a tripod or four-legged easel. A pad of paper sheets is typically fixed to the upper edge. Such charts are commonly used for presentations....
s, various informal names have been invented; often with an anatomical theme. The relative coarseness of some of these names has even been addressed in the
xkcdxkcd is a webcomic created by Randall Munroe, a former contractor for NASA. Munroe describes it as "a webcomic of romance, sarcasm, math, and language." It is widely read and has been recognized in such mainstream media as The Guardian and The New York Times.According to Munroe, the comic's name...
webcomic.
Popular informal names include:
- nub
- nipple
In its most general form, a nipple is a structure from which a fluid emanates. More specifically, it is the projection on the breasts of a mammal by which breast milk is delivered to a mother's young.-Anatomy:...
, or nipple mouse
External links