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Ask HN: I'm quadriplegic – can you help me with my security?

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Re: Ask HN: I'm quadriplegic – can you help me with my security?

#31

Post by escapologybb »

samwillis wrote: post #4

Hi! I'm on the train with bad internet right now and so can't go looking but have you considered face recognition software using the laptops camera? There must be an app that takes a look at the webcam when a password challenge is presented. Anyone know of anything? Edit: Found one! https://www.keylemon.com/download-other-versions/

This is an excellent idea, and something I've tried but that particular application wouldn't recognise my face as I tend to lean to one side. But my leaning isn't reliable so it had had real trouble recognising me, not ideal if I'm trying to get into my computer :-)

Reliable facial recognition would be great though, just not managed to find it!

Re: Ask HN: I'm quadriplegic – can you help me with my security?

#32

Post by mikeash »

How about bluetooth-based locking and unlocking, using an app like this?

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/bluetooth-unlock/id576603568...

It looks like it may work with any BT device, so even if you don't have a BT-enabled phone, you could get a cheap BT headset or something, and keep it on you.

I'd also like to say that it's great to see you doing so well with technology. I had a quadriplegic friend when I was little (he was an adult) who had a nice setup for the time, but his independence was limited to a few things like Clappers for lights, TV remotes, and such. I sometimes wonder just what crazy things he'd be getting up to if he was still around today with a setup like yours.

Re: Ask HN: I'm quadriplegic – can you help me with my security?

#33

Post by trekky1700 »

There's a program out there that can use a webcam to detect where you're looking on a screen. It performs a "click" if you hover over a button for a few seconds. Mix that with an on screen keyboard and that might work. I don't know if those options work with OSX though.

Re: Ask HN: I'm quadriplegic – can you help me with my security?

#34

Post by bauer »

The next Kinect is supposed to be able to detect eye movement. I don't think it would be too hard to implement something that would prompt for a sequence of eye movements after pressing the single button switched described by OP. I don't know if this would take care of both use cases, but I think it would take care of the first.

Re: Ask HN: I'm quadriplegic – can you help me with my security?

#36

Post by ngoertz »

We have patented something called PassRules which does not disclose your secret during normal use. It's the perfect solution for you but unfortunately we don't have a version for Mac -- only Windows. But if there's sufficient interest we might just develop one. Check us out at www.itsmesecurity.com

Re: Ask HN: I'm quadriplegic – can you help me with my security?

#37

Post by escapologybb »

ig1 wrote: post #7

Maybe some kind of NFC device that you could wear so that the computer would lock/unlock when you were near it ?

That would be perfect, but instead of wearing it I could have something implanted in my arm for instance; and I would definitely notice of somebody tried to steal the tag!

Re: Ask HN: I'm quadriplegic – can you help me with my security?

#38

Post by escapologybb »

mikeash wrote: post #32

How about bluetooth-based locking and unlocking, using an app like this? https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/bluetooth-unlock/id576603568... It looks like it may work with any BT device, so even if you don't have a BT-enabled phone, you could get a cheap BT headset or something, and keep it on you. I'd also like to say that it's great to see you doing so well with technology. I had a quadriplegic friend when I was little…

My only issue with Bluetooth pairing is that iPhones are incredibly shiny, and carers work for minimum wage and the thought of not only my iPhone going walkies but it locking my laptop in the process… My head might actually explode :-)

Re: Ask HN: I'm quadriplegic – can you help me with my security?

#39

Post by quadstick »

http://quadstick.com is developing a mouth operated programmable joystick/mouse/keyboard. A sequential combination of up to eight input signals (specific joystick movements and/or a sequence of hard or soft sip & puffs on four different tubes) can trigger the sending of up to six preprogrammed keyboard keys, or it can just recognize characters traced out on the joystick and send them one at a time.

Re: Ask HN: I'm quadriplegic – can you help me with my security?

#40

Post by mikeash »

escapologybb wrote: post #38
mikeash wrote: post #32

How about bluetooth-based locking and unlocking, using an app like this? https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/bluetooth-unlock/id576603568... It looks like it may work with any BT device, so even if you don't have a BT-enabled phone, you could get a cheap BT headset or something, and keep it on you. I'd also like to say that it's great to see you doing so well with technology. I had a quadriplegic friend when I was little…

My only issue with Bluetooth pairing is that iPhones are incredibly shiny, and carers work for minimum wage and the thought of not only my iPhone going walkies but it locking my laptop in the process… My head might actually explode :-)

If it does indeed work with arbitrary BT devices like I think it does (please verify this for yourself before you buy!) then you can get a cheap headset for $15 or so and key it to that instead of your phone. If your Mac (and the software) supports BTLE, you could even use a specialized token like a Stick-N-Find.

This app does claim to support any BT device, just in case the other one doesn't:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/tokenlock/id402433482?mt=12

Hope you figure out something that's to your liking.

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