the contact ball and a touch screen display surface by controlling the relative rotational freedom of the contact ball embodiments of the invention enable a haptic stylus to mimic three dimensional interactions for gaming object manipulation and sculpting and non contact proximity based stylus operation scenarios application_number US 201113112860 A description referring now to fig1 a prior art stylus and handheld portable electronic device with a touch screen display are shown the stylus is not a haptic device in this instance the stylus provides a convenient handle for grasping as well as a precise point of contact with the portable electronic device 39 s touch screen display in essence it is merely a more precise version of a user 39 s finger such a stylus is typically housed inside the portable electronic device when not in use referring now to fig2 stylus 200 is shown according to an embodiment of the present invention in this embodiment stylus 200 includes a conical housing 202 though other embodiments may employ alternately shaped housings e g cylindrical housing 202 is designed to serve as a familiar and effective handle for a user to grasp during manipulation of the stylus this embodiment also includes a contact ball 206 capable of rotating in place and a contact ball gripping mechanism including for example a group of prongs 204 moved by a friction force actuator not shown any type of actuator may be employed a wide variety of electromechanical actuators are known in the art for example note that contact ball 206 is shown protruding extensively from housing 202 for clarity in this patent application but generally may be much closer to housing 202 and or partially contained within a spherical indentation of housing 202 during operation the user holds the stylus housing 202.