Two Button Device

[Kbalz]

I'm developing a custom system at work, and am in need of some hardware I've never worked with before.

I need a small keypad (or remote) like device with at least two buttons. Here is the application of it:

There is a monitor above a machining system. I have a custom program that displays on the screen. The user needs to send commands to the program via a small device. Right now, I have the left, and right arrows sending these commands.. but a keyboard is too bulky to be sitting at this machine, and standard keys are too small. So I was looking for some USB or serial device that has few buttons, large buttons if possible.

The other issue is range, it needs to work at about 25 feet. Maybe wireless (IR, bluetooth) would be better. USB repeater is OK for this as well if needed.

I was thinking one of those number-pads used for laptops.. but does anyone know of a similar device with less buttons, or how I can reduce it to two large buttons?

Another thought I had was to rip apart a mouse, and fit the left/right mouse buttons under a panel. The mouse buttons themselves are an ideal size for this application. I'll take one apart today and see what can be donw with one.

 

[H4x3r]

something like this might do the trick, it's not two button...but it's wireless and it's a lot smaller then a keyboard

Newegg.com - Logitech Cordless Number Pad for Notebooks Model 920-000217 - Laptop Accessories

 

[Kbalz]

I just had a thought, that it COULD be a ONE button device as well, and I could just buy two of them..

Push Button USB Hub (webkey function) - Best promotion item

I wonder if I could use this somehow..

 

[H4x3r]

that would probably work, but by the time you had two of them it might be a little bulky...if you look at the size of that thing it's pretty big (compared to the USB)

 

[Kbalz]

that would probably work, but by the time you had two of them it might be a little bulky...if you look at the size of that thing it's pretty big (compared to the USB)

No for this application that size is good.

This will be in a shop environment, two large buttons would be easier than utilizing two small buttons surrounded by 12 buttons that are to be ignored.

They can reach out and slap it versus pecking.

I looked into programing with IR communitcations using C#, it looks like there are some .NET classes I can use to program with..

Now I need an IR remote with few buttons