Microsoft Patents Foot Computing

theodp writes "Microsoft Research has made it possible for a mother to surf the web while nursing her newborn, thanks to its newly-patented 'foot-based user interface' (FUI?). 'In addition to causing health problems,' explains Microsoft in the patent, 'the traditional keyboard and mouse interface can be simply inconvenient in certain situations as well. In one instance, a mother with a baby in her arms is unable to easily perform simple tasks, such as checking email, on a computer.' Users of the 'Foot-Based Interface for Interacting With a Computer,' however, will be able to move their feet and step on the floor a la DDR to execute various commands, such as deleting email or scrolling down the screen. Due to the usual foot-dragging on the part of the USPTO, the patent — filed for in 2006 — was essentially obsolete by the time it was issued on Tuesday, a week after Microsoft's Kinect launch."

Comments

Kinesis Foot Switch

[Compaqt]

Forgot about these?

Savant Elite Programmable USB Foot Switches

http://www.kinesis-ergo.com/fs-savant-elite.htm

Re:Kinesis Foot Switch

[timeOday]

Forgot? Heavens no. They're first on our list of companies to extort for intellectual property that we now own.

Good on Microsoft

[mewsenews]

Finally a patent I can agree with. This is some innovative work. Just this morning while driving to work I was thinking "gee, I wish my feet could be used to control something.. too bad nobody has invented foot based controls"

Old idea is old

[MrEricSir]

Sorry Microsoft, but this has been around for over a decade.
http://www.footmouse.com/

Prior Art! Prior Art!

[Infonaut]

Please read the actual patent claims themselves before declaring prior art. The fact that the Slashdot headline boldly proclaims "Microsoft Patents Foot Computing" doesn't mean that the patent covers every manifestation of foot-controlled computing. Every single time a patent is discussed in Slashdot, we go through the same song and dance about how there's prior art. And yes, I know it's Slashdot and nobody actually reads the primary sources, but jeez, it gets old.

For a readable primer on how the US patent system works, read Schechter and Thomas' Principles of Patent Law