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MouthPad – In-Mouth Bluetooth Mouse Uses Tongue Sensitive Trackpad

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Re: MouthPad – In-Mouth Bluetooth Mouse Uses Tongue Sensitive Trackpad

#131

Post by zamalek »

bpshaver wrote: post #113
gwbas1c wrote: post #109

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> abled people who speculate on the needs A device like this makes a lot of sense for wearable computing. I wouldn't assume the target market are people with disabilities.

The trailer video exclusively features people with quadriplegia.

Which is somewhat unfortunate. Having the device go mainstream is one way to reduce the cost per unit, or even subsidize the cost for people who really need it. Many accessibility technologies end up being an improvement for everyone.

I would certainly be interested in the device purely from a keeping-both-hands-on-the-keyboard perspective.

Re: MouthPad – In-Mouth Bluetooth Mouse Uses Tongue Sensitive Trackpad

#132

Post by codethief »

agileAlligator wrote: post #128
throwaway049 wrote: post #108

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Even copycat competition might help in that it can lower prices for consumers. I use a Penguin mouse and they cost a lot for what is just generic electronics in an unusual-shaped housing. But I can't find any other ambidextrous vertical mouse.

> I use a Penguin mouse I couldn't help but chuckle when I saw what it looked like. I'm curious, what are the advantages to using this over a regular mouse?

> I'm curious, what are the advantages to using this over a regular mouse?

The advantages are probably similar to those of any vertical mouse: There's much less stress on the wrist, which is important if you're suffering from e.g. RSI.

But since in this case the mouse is also ambidextrous, you can switch hands, too. (-> Useful for ambidextrous people and, also, even less stress on the individual wrist.)

Re: MouthPad – In-Mouth Bluetooth Mouse Uses Tongue Sensitive Trackpad

#134

Post by overthrow »

codethief wrote: post #132
agileAlligator wrote: post #128

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I use a Penguin mouse I couldn't help but chuckle when I saw what it looked like. I'm curious, what are the advantages to using this over a regular mouse?

> I'm curious, what are the advantages to using this over a regular mouse? The advantages are probably similar to those of any vertical mouse: There's much less stress on the wrist, which is important if you're suffering from e.g. RSI. But since in this case the mouse is also ambidextrous, you can switch hands, too. (-> Useful for ambidextrous people and, also, even less stress on the individual wrist.)

For a cheaper setup, I have a right-handed vertical mouse (Amazon $20 special) to the right of my keyboard, and a second left-handed mouse on the left, and I switch between them throughout the day. It makes my desk look a little silly, but it works great!

Re: MouthPad – In-Mouth Bluetooth Mouse Uses Tongue Sensitive Trackpad

#135

Post by stronglikedan »

fwlr wrote: post #114

From the way the cursor moved on the screen and the visualization of input with those orange squares, it looks like it operates similar to the thinkpad trackpoint. (There’s a dose of serendipitous humor here - the trackpoint has an infamous anatomical nickname, and this device seems to be reminding some commenters of a related activity.) I wonder if they’ve explored trackballs? Conventional trackballs are operated wi…

I think moving a ball would require more effort that sliding your tongue over a static surface, but I suppose it would be a better workout!

Re: MouthPad – In-Mouth Bluetooth Mouse Uses Tongue Sensitive Trackpad

#136

Post by kevincox »

fwlr wrote: post #114

From the way the cursor moved on the screen and the visualization of input with those orange squares, it looks like it operates similar to the thinkpad trackpoint. (There’s a dose of serendipitous humor here - the trackpoint has an infamous anatomical nickname, and this device seems to be reminding some commenters of a related activity.) I wonder if they’ve explored trackballs? Conventional trackballs are operated wi…

From the descriptions on the website they claim it controls like a touchpad, not a trackpoint. (touchpad means tongue distance == cursor distance whereas trackpoint means tongue distance/pressure == cursor speed)

That being said trackpoint-style movement sounds better to me since my tongue has such limited motion compared to a large trackpad surface. Unless it is about to be much more dexterous than my finger (which doesn't seem right to me, but impossible to say without trying) it would be annoying to make large movements and repeated large movements seems like it would be tiring quite quickly.

Re: MouthPad – In-Mouth Bluetooth Mouse Uses Tongue Sensitive Trackpad

#137

Post by platers »

passwordoops wrote: post #74

I worked in accessible tech for the blind for a few years. It's awesome that these guys are doing something that could be genuinely useful to a swathe of society who really needs the help, and I do wish the space got more attention and money. However, and I hope I'm wrong here, this is looking like another case of techies with a nifty looking device that will be "available soon" but, more importantly, already tried m…

I've never heard of a "smart cane", I'm curious why its a dumb idea?

Re: MouthPad – In-Mouth Bluetooth Mouse Uses Tongue Sensitive Trackpad

#139

Post by RoyGBivCap »

serf wrote: post #78
Cthulhu_ wrote: post #21

I'd like to see more comments from the target audience, at the moment the comment section is full of abled people who speculate on the needs and experiences of the target audience.

I'm a c-5 incomplete quadriplegic with hemispheric stroke-like paralysis that bothers my body all over. Some of it is just weakness, some of it is incomplete sensation, some of it is total paralysis. I have one weak-yet-functioning hand, and one hand that works only via the tone present in the hand as a rough pointing-poking tool. I use a manual wheelchair. At my injury level I am exceedingly fortunate to have decent…

>My main worry in seeing this -- like all accessibility equipment -- is that it will be outrageously priced or locked up behind some kind of insurance coding so as to capture that segment of the market; most medical groups aim for VFW-equivalent equipment coverage on insurance, and I have no-where near that.

Our trains of though crossed paths here. I was thinking about how useful it might be to an able bodied person, if it would be fun or even beneficial to use. Like having a third hand in gaming would be nice sometimes. Then it immediately called to mind how outrageously expensive aid devices like this tend to be. For example an actually good hearing aid is like $2,000 for some reason. And a really nice robotic wheelchair can be like $40,000. So with disappointment I assume this thing, even if it makes it to scaled up commercial production is going to be out of my price range as someone who doesn't actually need it but wouldn't mind helping to fund the project.

Is the apparent price gouging because insurance might pay for it? Or because some people don't have a choice but to buy it?

Re: MouthPad – In-Mouth Bluetooth Mouse Uses Tongue Sensitive Trackpad

#140

Post by dmd »

A lot of people - especially people with impairments whom it would help a lot if they know about it - are unaware of the fantastic pointer-accessibility stuff that's built into MacOS:

https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/move-the-pointer-us...

You can control the pointer with head movements, and click with things like blinks and smiles. All built into the OS, no 3rd party software.

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