# Creating a controller with conductive paint and using in Processing

**URL:** <https://discourse.processing.org/t/creating-a-controller-with-conductive-paint-and-using-in-processing/16679>\
**Category:** Electronics (Arduino, etc.)\
**Created:** [December 28, 2019, 4:41pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/creating-a-controller-with-conductive-paint-and-using-in-processing/16679 "2019-12-28T16:41:12Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 11\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![marianne91](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/53a042/32.png) [@marianne91](https://discourse.processing.org/u/marianne91)\
**Post date:** [December 28, 2019, 4:41pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/creating-a-controller-with-conductive-paint-and-using-in-processing/16679/1 "2019-12-28T16:41:13Z")

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Hi there,  
I’m looking to make a project in which activity on a screen is generated by someone stepping on a painted surface (with bare conductive paint - [https://www.bareconductive.com/](https://www.bareconductive.com/)).  
This action of stepping on the surface will replace a mouseclick on the computer. I’m new to Processing - any ideas on how to do this?  
Thanks  
M

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**Author:** ![noel](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/discourse.processing.org/noel/32/213_2.png) [@noel](https://discourse.processing.org/u/noel)\
**Post date:** [December 28, 2019, 5:14pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/creating-a-controller-with-conductive-paint-and-using-in-processing/16679/2 "2019-12-28T17:14:06Z")

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Hi @marianne91  
A think a good way to start is to try [this](https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/connecting-arduino-to-processing) tutorial.

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**Author:** ![kll](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/discourse.processing.org/kll/32/964_2.png) [@kll](https://discourse.processing.org/u/kll)\
**Post date:** [December 29, 2019, 1:34am UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/creating-a-controller-with-conductive-paint-and-using-in-processing/16679/3 "2019-12-29T01:34:02Z")

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add to that there is a special (old) version of arduino ( what i would usually not recommend )  
[https://store.arduino.cc/usa/leonardo](https://store.arduino.cc/usa/leonardo)  
[https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=arduino+leonardo+as+mouse](https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=arduino+leonardo+as+mouse)

where this arduino can talk to the PC “as a mouse” and  
no extra processing code ( serial lib… ) would be needed.

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**Author:** ![marianne91](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/53a042/32.png) [@marianne91](https://discourse.processing.org/u/marianne91)\
**Post date:** [January 2, 2020, 11:10am UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/creating-a-controller-with-conductive-paint-and-using-in-processing/16679/4 "2020-01-02T11:10:09Z")

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Great. Thanks - on it now!

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**Author:** ![marianne91](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/53a042/32.png) [@marianne91](https://discourse.processing.org/u/marianne91)\
**Post date:** [January 2, 2020, 11:10am UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/creating-a-controller-with-conductive-paint-and-using-in-processing/16679/5 "2020-01-02T11:10:41Z")

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Brill! Thank you - will try this! 🙂

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**Author:** ![glv](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/discourse.processing.org/glv/32/18785_2.png) [@glv](https://discourse.processing.org/u/glv)\
**Post date:** [January 2, 2020, 10:55pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/creating-a-controller-with-conductive-paint-and-using-in-processing/16679/6 "2020-01-02T22:55:28Z")

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Hello,

> [@marianne91](#):
>
> This action of stepping on the surface will replace a mouseclick on the computer

What is the mouse click on the computer going to do?

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**Author:** ![marianne91](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/53a042/32.png) [@marianne91](https://discourse.processing.org/u/marianne91)\
**Post date:** [January 3, 2020, 2:06pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/creating-a-controller-with-conductive-paint-and-using-in-processing/16679/7 "2020-01-03T14:06:15Z")

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I was originally thinking it would generate some text (via a random text generator to appear on screen).

But now I would like it to trigger a video.

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**Author:** ![glv](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/discourse.processing.org/glv/32/18785_2.png) [@glv](https://discourse.processing.org/u/glv)\
**Post date:** [January 3, 2020, 6:52pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/creating-a-controller-with-conductive-paint-and-using-in-processing/16679/8 "2020-01-03T18:52:17Z")

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Will Processing be involved? Or just the mouse and\or keyboard interacting with PC desktop?

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**Author:** ![marianne91](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/53a042/32.png) [@marianne91](https://discourse.processing.org/u/marianne91)\
**Post date:** [January 3, 2020, 6:54pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/creating-a-controller-with-conductive-paint-and-using-in-processing/16679/9 "2020-01-03T18:54:16Z")

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I would like the mouse-click to trigger the playing of a video within processing.

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**Author:** ![jeremydouglass](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/discourse.processing.org/jeremydouglass/32/20_2.png) [@jeremydouglass](https://discourse.processing.org/u/jeremydouglass)\
**Post date:** [January 7, 2020, 12:33am UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/creating-a-controller-with-conductive-paint-and-using-in-processing/16679/10 "2020-01-07T00:33:29Z")

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Related information is the bareconductive foot controller tutorial: [https://www.bareconductive.com/make/make-a-drum-kit-for-your-feet/](https://www.bareconductive.com/make/make-a-drum-kit-for-your-feet/)

Note that you will need bare feet for this to work! It almost certainly won’t work with rubber shoes, as they are not… conductive.

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**Author:** ![marianne91](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/53a042/32.png) [@marianne91](https://discourse.processing.org/u/marianne91)\
**Post date:** [January 8, 2020, 1:47pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/creating-a-controller-with-conductive-paint-and-using-in-processing/16679/11 "2020-01-08T13:47:06Z")

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That’s brill - looking into this now thanks @jeremydouglass!