New PC Devices Can Lessen
Mobility, Dexterity Problems
By John M.
Williams |
I receive emails all the time from people seeking
information on products dealing with disability. Recently, a substantial number
of emails have focused on products for people with mobility and dexterity
problems.
A number of products can benefit people with mobility
problems, including joysticks, mice and ergonomic keyboards, trackballs,
on-screen keyboard programs, keyboard filters, touch screens, alternative
personal computer (PC) hardware, alternative keyboards, electronic pointing
devices, sip-and-puff devices, and wands and sticks.
Joysticks can be plugged into a computer’s mouse
ports and used to control the cursor on the screen. Joysticks assist
individuals who can’t use their hands. Some people can operate joysticks
with their feet. 
Mice and ergonomic keyboards are often more comfortable
than using a standard mouse and keyboard. To learn more about these products,
visit www.microsoft.com/hardware.
A trackball looks like an upside-down mouse with a movable
ball on top of a stationary base. Trackballs can be rotated either with a hand
or a pointing stick.
On-screen keyboard programs provide an image of a
standard or modified keyboard on a computer screen. The user selects the keys
with a mouse, trackball, touch screen, joystick, switch or an electronic
pointing device. On-screen keyboards often have a scanning option. With the
scanning function turned on, the keys on the screen are highlighted. When a key
is highlighted, the user selects it by using a switch positioned near a body
part that the user controls.
Keyboard filters include word prediction and add-on spell
checkers. They can reduce the number of keystrokes on letters users want to
avoid when typing.
Touch screens are devices on a computer screen that allow
users to operate a computer by touching it. Some users of touch screens use
joysticks.
Alternative PC hardware and all-access stations allow
users to control their computers through means other than a standard keyboard
or pointing device.
Alternative keyboards are available in different sizes
with various keypad arrangements and angles. Large keyboards can have large
keys; smaller keyboards can have smaller keys. There are one-handed keyboards,
as well as split keyboards, in which the keyboards are split into two sections.
Electronic pointing devices allow users to control the
cursor on the screen using ultrasound, an infrared beam, eye movements or brain
waves. Users can enter text or data.
Sip-and-puff devices allow users to employ their breath
to activate a switch. This technology is often used with on-screen keyboards.
Wands and sticks are typing aids used to strike keys on
the keyboard. They are worn on the head, held in the mouth, strapped to the
chin or held in the hand. The majority of these devices are customized for
users by adapting a pencil or a wooden dowel that can be purchased in a
hardware store.
John Williams coined the phrase "assistive
technology." To comment on this article, write to jwilliams@atechnews.com.
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