SlashGear Japan
Every once in a while I’ll run into some trouble with my mouse. My wireless doesn’t always move as smoothly as I’d like and sometimes I have problems with hitting the touch pad on the laptop as I’m typing and sending my cursor flying other places. Even so I can’t imagine coming to a point that I wanted to use my head instead.
The SmartNav hands-free mouse seems, to me, to be a little over the top. You attach a device that looks like a helmet/robot hybrid to the top of your monitor and then stick a tiny reflective dot on your forehead and voila, your head is now your mouse. It comes in three versions: AT (Assistive Technology) allows you to click by hovering over the item, EG (Ergonomic) has a foot pedal for you to click with and the Standard version is geared for productivity.
It includes a virtual keyboard and will cost you just under $300. I understand this would be useful for people with carpel tunnel/arthritis or those who’ve lost use of their hands but I think it’d end up being frustrating and tedious work, not to mention painful on your neck.
SmartNav Hands Free Mouse Alternative – Ergonomic Version – SmartNavEG [via Gizmodo]
2 Responses to “SmartNav Hands-free Mouse Uses Your Head”
Case December 28, 2007
It’s been in use for a few years now. Definitely big in the assistive technology crowd, and even gaining in terms of ergonomics. Surprisingly it doesn’t put any stress on your neck because there are enough settings to scale it to how you want to use the device. If you move the mouse, it will override the headtracking too if you had a quick action you needed to take. It’s also been used to allow disabled people to play PC games with their head and a sip and puff switch. Pretty neat little gadget.
Neutralg_girly December 29, 2007
i like this mouse b/c its so cool n sometimes when my mouse is out of battery i need to find a new one n if i don’t i can’t use my computer. :-)
PS: not a laptop…… A computer…………….
Neutral