Danny,
It is great you are trying to help your boyfriend. Ultimately in the end he will need to decide what is best for him.
I myself am a quadriplegic and my company,
BroadenedHorizons.com designs, manufactures, and markets a wide range of assistive technology providing greater independence with a focus exclusively on individuals with limited or no use of their hands and arms.
The first question I always ask is to best understand how much head or arm movement he has. From the comments here it sounds like he has head movement but probably not arm movement implying he must be C1-C4 quadriplegic. So I will go off of that assumption for the moment but contact us and we can discuss in more detail if necessary.
Second, you mentioned both joystick and mouse. Broadened Horizons offers the broadest line of accessible video game controllers available anywhere in the world. for someone like your boyfriend, our Versatility controller would likely be the most appropriate since it is designed for individuals who have no arm movement such as high-level quads and muscular dystrophy, etc. There are a variety of joysticks and buttons including using head motion control, mouth, chin, fingertips, arms, codes, etc. It can literally be customized and configured for the specific individual.
www.BroadenedHorizons.com/versatility.htm
Second, for computer control and access there was a combination of comments here that were correct, some more than others. First, I recommend a good Mouse Controller for everyone appropriate to the person's abilities. Windows, Macintosh, and even Linux all have a graphical user interface designed for use with some sort of pointer or indicator. Second, if the person is able to speak clearly, Dragon NaturallySpeaking voice recognition software is an excellent solution in place of keyboarding when used in combination with a good USB Microphone. USB microphones provide a superior digital signal. Our stylish Silver 19" USB Desktop Microphone is the our popular, providing independence to pull away from the computer and get started independently, while still getting it positioned as close to your mouth as a headset. And it can be removed from the base for portability with a laptop.
http://www.broadened...bmicrophone.htm
The voice recognition software built into Windows is functional and has no additional cost, but Dragon NaturallySpeaking is superior. With a good mouse controller you do not need more than the standard version. I am writing this message now using Dragon NaturallySpeaking version 10.1 however version 11 is now available. Do not use Bluetooth (analog) with Dragon, we also have a superior TalkFar digital wireless microphone.
Going back to the mouse controllers, The SmartNav is a good head motion tracker style joystick controller that someone mentioned. It would be appropriate for his abilities. Broadened Horizons is a Distributor for SmartNav and our Sip and Puff Switches are listed and recommended under the accessories section on the NaturalPoint website. I would always highly recommend for more responsive, easier, and less stressful on one's neck experience to have some sort of ability switches for clicking rather than using software-based dwell clicking. Our Sip and Puff Switches which are available mounted either on the headset or our 3rd Arm Flex Sip and Puff Mount so he can still pull up to and away from the computer independently without needing setup.
http://www.broadened...headcontrol.htm
However there are also other head mouse controller options. Our QuadMouse comes available on a number of mounts for use when you are lying in bed, on wheelchair armrests, edge of the desk, table, etc. It uses two small joysticks that in touch with your lips or chin. They only require about 1/4" of movement, so it works even for individuals who have no head movement. the right joystick moves the mouse cursor around the screen and the left joystick you simply nudge to the left to left click, right to right-click up changes the speed to go faster when browsing the web or slower when editing photos, and down allows you to click and drag. The QuadMouse is by far our most popular solution with the key advantage that it requires no drivers or software, you simply plug it into the USB port on any computer and is automatically recognized by Windows, Mac, or Linux and consequently can be moved from computer to computer quickly and easily in educational or work environment. Another difference and advantage for those who are on a ventilator with weak lungs and find sip and puff difficult, is that the QuadMouse does not require this.
http://www.broadened...m/quadmouse.htm
I am also working on new head motion mouse controller much like the head motion joystick available for the Versatility but that achieves extreme accuracy by actually referencing the earth magnetic fields again without requiring any special drivers.
For others reading this post who have some arm movement, our new
Precision USB Joystick Mouse can be controlled the same way as a joystick controller on the wheelchair is utilized and now includes a little program to instantly switch it from mouse control to game controller function.
And for those who have no arm movement but slight/weak finger tip movement such as muscular dystrophy and multiple sclerosis, the new
Fingertip Button Mouse is the ideal solution.
Both offer external ability switch jacks to do clicking by alternative means with the person's opposite hand for more responsive mouse control or sip and puff, etc. both can also be ideally positioned using our 3rd Arm Jointed Desktop Extension Mount which can position the mouse controllers just alongside of the persons armrest, in their lap, etc. so they can just pull up alongside of it.
You can contact us, Broadened Horizons at Sales@BroadenedHorizons.com or 612-851-1040 -toll free phone numbers, Skype, etc. are on the contact us page of our website as well as a chat option.
Mark Felling
President, Broadened Horizons Inc.
Quadriplegic Engineer, Patented Inventor, MBA
0
Webwych, on Oct 7 2008, 09:34 PM, said:
geniejoystick.pdf 143.16K
194 downloads
Top
