Mobile passive joystick with magnet sensing

A system, comprising:

• a human interface device, comprising:
• a top portion comprising a permanent magnet that is adapted to generate a magnetic field distribution to encode user input received by the human interface device via forces applied by a user;
• and
• a bottom portion adapted to:
• reversibly secure the human interface device to a surface,
• reversibly secure the top portion to the bottom portion via a rotatable joint, and
• deform to enable the top portion to tilt with respect to a point on the surface to while the human interface device is secured to the surface and the top portion is secured to the bottom portion;
• and
• a sensing system adapted to sense the magnetic field distribution to provide user input from the user to a data processing system,
• wherein the top portion further includes:
• a cup, the permanent magnet being disposed within a first cavity of the top portion with a fixed orientation relative to the cup;
• and
• a pinion with a post that projects through an opening in a bottom of the cup;
• and
• a plug that reversibly couples to the pinion to from the rotatable joint, the plug being configured to be reversibly fixedly secured to the bottom portion,
• wherein the bottom portion includes a flexible shaft with retention elements projecting from an upper end thereof, the retention element configured to reversibly fixedly secured the plug.