Domain: footmouse.com
Stories and comments across the archive that link to footmouse.com.
Comments · 16
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Old idea is old
Sorry Microsoft, but this has been around for over a decade.
http://www.footmouse.com/ -
Re:handicap access keyboards
More keyboards for your one handed (or no handed) typing consideration:
http://www.maltron.com/maltron-keyboards.html
http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/19/actbrises-touchless-keyboard-for-your-laziness-handicap/and here's a neat one for CTS, or if you just get tired of constantly moving your hand to the mouse and back:
http://www.alphagrips.com/ it has a wicked tough learning curve though (prolly about the same as frogpad) and if you are like me with twisted fingers that don't quite fit a gaming controller, forget it. Also, the alphagrips is kind of gimmicky and microsoft's curvy, split keyboard is actually pretty good for CTS.if you just don't like to move your hands off the keyboard to grab the mouse, or if you have a one-hand keyboard for the obvious reason, try a foot-mouse:
http://www.footmouse.com/nohands.php
though I'm sure there are other manufacturers, this one seems kind of expensive. Or if you are handy (heh heh, a pun) you could probably rig one up with the spare mice you have lying around -
Ergonomic Keyboards and MiceI posted on my blog a list of Ergonomic Keyboards and Mice links I had collected, here is what I had:
Enablemart - This seems to be a third party seller but I've yet to find out who makes all the equipment they sell
3M Ergonomic Products - Notable is the Ergonomic Mouse that looks kind of like a joystick
Kinesis Corporation - Another third party place that sells ergonomic items (they have chairs also)
Perific - Their main product is the Wireless Dual Mouse
Evoluent - They are known for the VerticalMouse
Contour Design - Best known for the RollerMouse and the PerfitMouse (Contour Mouse)
Combimouse - Combination Keyboard and Mouse
Adesso - They make a lot of products
Aerobic Mouse - Looks a lot like the VerticalMouse except it has a plastic area to hold your hand
Nohands Mouse - Control your mouse with your feet
Zero Tension Mouse - seems like a mix between the VerticalMouse and 3M's Ergonomic Mouse -
NoHands Mouse
you can just be sued by someone with a disability you haven't considered.
A lot of disabilities have already been thought of. If your site works in Lynx, then existing assistive input and output devices can probably handle it. As for people with less common disabilities, groups representing such people are more likely to try to contact the web team to resolve issues amicably than to sue first and ask questions later.
What if a double-amputee is trying to use your site with no arms?
A lot of engineers look to science fiction for inspiration. For example, the character Dust Puppy from the comic strip User Friendly is in shape a head with two feet attached at the neck. He has no problem playing first-person shooters by operating the mouse with his feet. In this world, there are the NoHands Mouse and keypress pedals.
But I still don't want to be sued because someone with Parkinson's couldn't click the right button.
There are PS/2 mouse filters to smooth out Parkinsonian tremors. But if basic interactions on your web site require the use of a context menu and cannot be performed with the keyboard, then your site may already be broken.
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Footmouse!
Nohands footmouse http://www.footmouse.com/ It worked for me... kinda. Several years ago I bought two of these and both broke after two months of normal use. These things should be built using machined steel, not crappy plastic. Now workrave does the best job of keeping the pain on manageable level....
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Re:The answer is Foot Mouse
They might ask you the URL, mighten they? http://www.footmouse.com/
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Re:Okay, someone please explain this hobby to me..
(I'd really like to find a way to surf the 'net and sew at the same time) ZK- http://www-306.ibm.com/software/voice/viavoice/ http://www.footmouse.com/
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RSI in eyelids?
I think this could also be quite useful for the average office lackey like me!
Can you imagine the hellish predicament you'd be in if you developed the equivalent of carpal tunnel syndrome in your eyelids? In order to rest your lids enough to heal, you'd probably have to choose between leaving your eyes closed and thus being temporarily blind, and wearing some sort of yet-to-be-invented protective device that would let you keep them open all the time.
Yes, I know, carpal tunnel syndrome is due to inflamed tendons and nerves in your wrist, and you don't have those parts in your eyelids. Nevertheless, your eyelids have a well established and important job to do. Making them do double duty as a 'nouse' button or other input device seems risky. In addition to potentially overworking the muscles, I can see damage to the surface of the eyes coming from consistant, long-term over-blinking or under-blinking.
Certainly, there are people for whom some risk to the eyes is a small price to pay for a way to communicate with others and control their environment. Able-bodied geeks, though, would probably be wise to move around a bit more rather than less. If you're just looking for an alternative to hand-actuated mice, try an input device like the footmouse instead. -
Re:How Fast? Fast enough.
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get a foot mouseIf I had the cash (yikes, $300!!!), I would get this...
I believe using the feet to mouse around while typing with ones hands is the ultimate solution.
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Re:This reminds me...
Fiction can be fact...The Foot Mouse!
Looks cool, but I'm too used to my MS Explorer with five buttons and a scroll wheel. You'd need to be a spider to use that foot mouse. -
Re:What about foot pedals?
I know it's not exactly what you wanted, but you could always go with a foot mouse.
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Well, you have to know how to do it in Russia...I live in Moscow and sometimes I have to get things from U.S:
1. My friend sent me a lot of magazines (very heavy packs) via standard mail and I've got all of them. Some packs were somewhat chewn, but not open... one had a footprint %-) It's easy to put a CD there between old magazines.
2. When I bought 2 footmouse devices I've paid about $35 per box
:) Just find a company which does import something and they will happily help you.3. About economic situation -- it's becoming better and better during last two years. It's just an opinion.
4. Almost any buerocrat could be beaten. You just have to know how. When I've tried to get technical approval for my car our GIBDD (like DMV in U.S. or whatever... who check for barke condition, CO2, etc) refused to give it because wheel disks were "somewhat rusty" (officer just looked at the car and said "no"). I did not pay any suggested bribe, but contacted a laywer who helped me to file in a complaint. On the paper, it's important. Whoa, after I came to their boss and demanded them to sign a copy of the complaint (i.e. they could not ignore an official paper) they danced around me and gave the approval without even checking my car... BTW, tat special auto lawer cost me only 550 roubles (~$20, less then suggested bribe). It's simple: DON'T GIVE UP
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Re:You can have it todayCyberlink is just a mouse. Face muscle controlled -- that's it. Since I have an RSI I've considered buying cyberlink: it makes no sense for real job. Ever tried to do anything useful with no-hands footmouse? I have one. It's good for totally disabled people to read their email, but totally useless if you want to throw in a perl script. Just try to install on-screen keyboard emulator and poke it with conventional mouse and dont' forget that all ergo mouse substitutes are slower than your standard mouse.
What we really need is cyberlink-like system which does enter text -- may be chordal "brainfingers" could do the trick, may be something else, but cyberlink is aimed at totally disabled, not injured who want to stay afloat so we won't see it anytime soon...
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Some options for you to look into.Problems with your fingers aching from typing usually mean that you are not typing correctly. What I mean is that you do not have the correct posture and angles. Generally people who type using the proper posture, height, and so forth do usually don't get CTS. Perhaps you should find a typing instructor and have them coach you about this. You may also just need to take more breaks when you are typing.
Another option is to get a Dvorak keyboard and see if that works better for you. A Dvorak keyboard is supposed to be much more efficient than the standard QWERTY keyboard. What I mean is that the space your fingers have to move to type most words is much less, reducing the strain on your hands. It's also supposed to be faster. Downside is learning a new layout. Here is an URL with some info on the Dvorak layout.
As for not using a mouse that gets tricky in a GUI environment. I've never tried it, and it is pricey, but footmouse.com has a foot operated mouse. If your goal is to reduce wear and tear on your hands, maybe it is worth looking into.
You could also check out the portion of the typing injury FAQ that deals with alternative input devices. Perhaps you could substitute something for the mouse or keyboard that is more to your liking.
Hope this was helpful.
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Footmouse
Here is a device built for that purpose: Link