Drawing Tablet Module for FW16

Framework Laptop 16
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I think that it would be really cool to have a drawing tablet module that could replace the trackpad module.

At some point in the near future I might start trying to make one of these, I think the hardest part would be finding a tablet that is the right size and thin enough but I should be able to easily 3d print an enclosure for it and rewire the usb output to match the pinout of the framework modules.

if anyone finds this interesting, knows of a project similar to this, or know of a tablet that might work for this, let me know.

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That would be great.
You mean a drawing tablet without a screen, right?

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Just to let you know, certain drawing tablet technologies have issues with the Framework 16 due to the embedded magnets. I found this out when I place my drawing tablet directly on the laptop keyboard/mouse area. Certain dead zones are created by the magnets.

For reference I use an XP Pen Deco LW.

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That’s what I was thinking, I’m imagining a huge trackpad that covers most or all of the area for the module. I am also hoping that it can have touch capabilities so it could be a bit more practical but that it sort of an afterthought right now.

With that being said, one of my friends has an ASUS ZenBook duo and a secondary screen would be cool to have but is likely imposable given frameworks connectors for the modules as well as the size constraints. I don’t currently know the exact spec of the connectors but I imagine that they are USB split into individual pins and given what they are connecting to they probably aren’t anything more than USB 2.0.

Edit: I found Frameworks official docs on their input modules in this github repo

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Yeah, just usb 2.0, that why I was hoping you weren’t looking for a screen. Not that a screen couldn’t be done, I understand there are chips to handle compressed video over usb 2.0 speeds, but it would be more complicated & limited. Also, there are power restrictions with the stock midplate at least.

From the github you saw that the middle 3 connectors intended for the touchpad are i2c rather than usb? So you’d probably want to use a different connector. The EC (embedded controller) where the i2c is fed to is open source, but usb is just much easier.

Here is an example of someone creating a module for next to the touchpad and using one of the unused usb connectors. E-Paper module to replace spacers in palm rest

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I don’t know of any drawing tablet, but there is an open source capacitive large trackpad pointing device. Trackpad – Ploopy.

I believe based off of these large and small ones: github.com/george-norton/peacock, github.com/george-norton/procyon. I think when scaled up to the larger size it doesn’t have the density needed for accurate drawing use, but maybe it’s still worth a look. I don’t know much about how drawing tablets are designed. I’m thinking maybe some do the pressure sensing in the stylus and transmit it over low power wireless, such as BT LE.

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