Head-Mounted Mouse 57
madburn writes "MacInTouch has a blurb about a device from Boost Technology called the Tracer. It appears to be an almost-affordable head-mounted "mouse" with the features and performance needed for serious use, including 360-degree field of view. It supports USB and PS/2. I wonder if this will make the Quake experience more immersive?" The girl in the picture looks kinda stoned, but I can imagine that this could be useful for the handicapped, and fun for someone looking for a different input device.
Choose Your Poison (Score:1)
Carpal tunnel syndrome or neck problems?
I think I'll take carpal tunnel, despite the obvious impact it would have on my sex life.
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Yo soy El Fontosaurus Grande!
Not too practical (Score:1)
They say it gives mouse control to people with muscular dystrophy. Hmmm, let's look at the definition of muscular dystrophy [dictionary.com]:
Any of a group of progressive muscle disorders caused by a defect in one or more genes that control muscle function and characterized by gradual irreversible wasting of skeletal muscle.
It stands to reason such a person might have problems with a mouse that picks up even the slightest head movement.
What do you call . . . (Score:1)
carpal tunnel syndrome for the neck?
Tracer gives mouse control to people with ... Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Just experiment with moving your head around like you would have to do move your mouse and you know that would get tiring.
Operating conditions... (Score:1)
Re:Bad idea (Score:1)
haha (Score:2)
Also, the way I play Unreal Tournament and Quake III Arena this thing would be migraine and tumor inducing.
did you even read the article? (Score:1)
Is it there yet? (Score:1)
1. Selects object to move, turns head to move it.
2. Turns head to move it; is no longer looking at screen.
3. Asks: Is it moved far enough?
4. Turns his head back; picture moves back.
5. Repeat from step 2.
Feedback? (Score:1)
Engelbart tried this (Score:2)
He also tried a knee-cursor, which was very popular with new users, as well as a foot-mouse, etc. He settled on a mouse and a 5-key chording keyset. NLS (aka AUGMENT) is an impressive thing in action.
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When will VR Gear become mainstream (Score:1)
Force feedback... (Score:1)
playing quake could cause whiplash....
My hand moves faster than my head (Score:1)
Re:Gyration's mouse (Score:2)
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You think being a MIB is all voodoo mind control? You should see the paperwork!
Handicapped? (Score:1)
It is a word that has in many ways become embedded in our culture. Most persons just deal with it, but some do get offended by this usage. It doesn't hurt to be a bit sensitive about this kind of thing.
Re:Again with the Nod? (Score:2)
Indeed, the first one I recall was a Mac pointer in 1985 or 1986. It was worn more like headphones than this thing, and it had a microphone with which you'd make a sound to click.
EMF (Score:1)
Re:Gyration's mouse (Score:1)
You'd be amazed at how expensive normal stuff that's been modifed, even just slightly, for the medical industry is. I volunteer at a mainstreaming school, and there are a lot of toys in the therapy department that are just normal toys with a 1/4" headphone jack in series with the power switch. That way they can hook them up to a variety of switches to teach kids how to use a sip & puff or how to pull a string or whatever.
One of those yappy dogs that does a little backflip, plus a 65 cent headphone jack from radio shack can easily run into the hundreds of dollars. It's nuts. Half the time I'm there I'm running around with a soldering iron fixing the talking cookie monster or the busted teletubby because they can't afford to replace them.
Granted some of the pricing makes sense on things like the mounted switches, which are pretty low run manufacure, but still have some custom machining and molding to them. But the toys and other items are a total ripoff.
Slashdot Effect (Score:1)
Dive Gear [divingdeals.com]
I always wondered how.... (Score:1)
Re:needs eye tracking (Score:1)
Never mind head-mounted (Score:1)
So, I just mount one of these on my foot. This gets around all those naysayers who don't like eye-trackers (never mind the F117 and Apache targeting systems...) or head-trackers. And, it uses my feet, which are almost never otherwise used in my computing experience.
Therefore, I want one. Now. I will Rule You in All Games, because I can use the mouse to move, keyboard to fire, and feet to aim.
(Although, you would have to develop a *rather* high level of ambidextrousity to do this right! It was hard enough when I decided to try using keyboard+mouse at the same time in FPS games...)
-lf
Re:how do you see what you are pointing at? (Score:1)
Re:Wow! (Score:1)
Even better of FPS is... (Score:1)
Unfortunately they dont sell them any more (why?). But they had a 360' dial that controlled turning leaving the joystick (left & right) available for strafing. Makes the circle-strafe technique a piece of piss.
The problem I had was trying to get drivers to work with newer games. The ones they supplied for games of the time (Doom, etc.) were excellent and gave a definite advantage over mouse or keyboard using opponents.
beware... learn from my experience (Score:4)
hmmm (Score:2)
move it down your body even further and you can play Quake by performing Elvis gyrations.
Re:It's not for gaming but for disabled ppl! (Score:1)
So yes, it's stupid that these devices are so expensive, but it's not just that those companies want to make a quick buck. They simply can't produce these things at mass-market prices.
RSI's?? (Score:2)
Put 5 ounces on your forehead and move your head as much as you'd move your hand on a mouse working for 10 hours and see if your neck gets sore.
Other options for handicapped (Score:1)
Walter H. Trent "Muad'Dib"
Padishah Emperor of the Known Universe, IMHO
Re:Bad idea (Score:2)
Tell me what makes you so afraid
Of all those people you say you hate
Again with the Nod? (Score:2)
They're not even new to
Way back in the pre-ibmpc haze, Sage/Stride marketed one that required you to put a reflective dot on your forehead. Never took off.
This one looks real expensive, you can get a similar device for a lot cheaper HERE [best.com], for fifty bucks. Even has built in headphones.
Hey! (Score:2)
left... right... left... right... left... right...
Could be useful to MC Stephen Hawking! (Score:1)
But what will the handicapped do with her? (Score:1)
I think that being stoned could be useful for the non-handicapped, as well.
-deane
Gooroos Software: plugging you in to Maya
Won't work with Quake.... (Score:1)
Who cares about hand pains when you can break your neck in front of the computer!
- Knut S.
Product Comparison (Score:1)
HeadMouse only requires a small metallic sticky-dot to be affixed somewhere on your head, like the bill of your hat.
Tracer requires you to wear some head gear.
HeadMouse doesn't require any batteries.
Tracer requires you to charge batteries on a daily basis.
I should also note that I do not experience "noticeable leg time" while using HeadMouse. Its cursor appears quite responsive, moving as I do. I guess it all boils down to what you need it for. Being a quadriplegic, I personally have several things to consider.
Independence:
For the disabled, getting that head gear on and off isn't going to be easy, possibly downright impossible.
Looks:
This may seem trivial, but it's important. Say I'm screwing around at home, and there is a knock at my door. Trust me, I am not going to want to answer the door looking like I came straight out of a sci-fi movie. If looks weren't important, I would have an umbrella attached to my chair during the winter, and various other doo-dads. (that'll be the day.)
Batteries:
Charging batteries sucks. There isn't much getting around it.
Field Of View:
I'm only using it for desktop use, so I have no need for a 360 degree field of view. I mean, I _do_ want to be facing my computer while I'm using it, right?
I will be the first to say there are shortcomings in both systems. However, as these things are generally geared toward the disabled, I can't ignore the independence issue. Contrary to popular thought, we aren't all waited on hand and foot. ;)
I would pay double the price and get the HeadMouse, but only because of my particular situation. Obviously, my condition isn't the norm.
Still, technology _is_ great. If they could just develop it into something smaller...
Really a Gyropoint (Score:2)
This device just isn't practical for serious user interaction. To click on something, you have to be very good at holding the mouse steady. My hand-eye coordination sucks, but I doubt if anybody has that kind of skill. Especially not someone with spinal injuries.
__________________
Re:Handicapped? (Score:1)
As somebody who is disabled, I would much rather be called "handicapped" than "physically challenged". To hear somebody say "physically challenged" within a sentence makes me want to laugh. People with disabilities KNOW they are disabled, and don't need it sugar-coated.
If you don't like the term handicapped, by all means, don't use it. But do me and the rest of the disabled community a favor and steer clear of terms like "handi-capable" or "physically challenged."
Thanks. :)
Re:Other options for handicapped (Score:1)
Most of these products support an external switch.
mouse click (Score:1)
Re:It's not for gaming but for disabled ppl! (Score:1)
Why am I scared someone on slashdot'll answer this?
batteries (Score:1)
And how do you click? (Score:1)
Bad idea (Score:3)
Tell me what makes you so afraid
Of all those people you say you hate
hmmm (Score:1)
Or any other part of the body that can be controlled? I wonder how/if the porn industry will adopt this.
Stoned Girl (Score:5)
umm...that's because she has Quadriplegia, Cerebral Palsy, Muscular Dystrophy, Multiple Sclerosis, ALS, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and any other disability where the user lacks the hand control to use a standard mouse but retains good head movement.
Quake (Score:1)
It'd be useful, but would there be any possible health implications? Doubtful, but you'll find someone who'll bitch about something being unhealthy with it
Btw, that fp, that person has too much time on their hands
how do you see what you are pointing at? (Score:3)
almost affordable? (Score:1)
Stoned girl = mega slashdotting (Score:1)
The RSI race escalates (Score:1)
Mirror... (Score:1)
Description [slashdot.org]
testimonials [codewolf.com]
Tech Specs. [codewolf.com]
Gyration's mouse (Score:1)
Obviously it needs something else to allow for clicking/dragging but I find that hard to justify the steep pricetag the company is charging.
Have you forgotten? (Score:1)
ANYONE who is staring at a cathode-ray tube or an LCD flat panel looks kinda stoned. That's the entire reason behind the name "idiot box."
It's not for gaming but for disabled ppl! (Score:3)
This mouse can be used by people with disabilities that can't control their hands accurately enough (or at all) to operate a normal mouse. So this is certainly very useful for a rather small group of people. And that group is *not* Q3 players
Re:Bad idea (Score:1)
They don't list game, play or kill among the recommended uses.