No-hands Input Devices for the Handicapped



This article discusses "no-hands" input devices for profoundly handicapped
computer users.

A popular device for profoundly handicapped users is the Headmaster by
Personics Corp., which mounts on the head with a headband.  Depending on head
position, the position of the cursor can be controlled on the screen, and the
equivalent of a mouse click is generated using one of several other devices.

The package also includes a special DA that puts a soft keyboard on the screen
that runs concurrently with other applications, such as Microsoft Word.  By
selecting letters on the keyboard and generating a mouse click, characters are
entered into the application.  (Selecting commands from the pull-down menus is
straightforward when using the Headmaster to control the cursor and the
mouse-click device.)

The Headmaster unit has also been tested with the Macintosh Portable, and it
works fine.


Published Date: Feb 18, 2012