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Hands-Free Coding: How I develop software using dictation and eye-tracking

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Re: Hands-Free Coding: How I develop software using dictation and eye-tracking

#11

Post by estsauver »

867_5309_Jenny wrote: post #10
ateng wrote: post #3

As a developer who also has cubital tunnel syndrome, having keyboards that places commonly use modifier keys [0] on your thumbs, such as Kinesis advantage or Ergodox, helps reducing the fatigue and symptoms immensely. [0] it is called Emacs pinkies for a reason, and yes, my CTS is totally emacs’s fault as well.

Switching to a planck keyboard would let you customize all the positions of buttons for less strain.

I have a planck keyboard, but I think it's small size isn't fantastic for hand position. I think I may eventually purchase an ergodox ez to get better hand positions.

Re: Hands-Free Coding: How I develop software using dictation and eye-tracking

#12

Post by haxiomic »

Ottolay wrote: post #7
rco8786 wrote: post #4

The eye tracking sounds like it could be incredibly useful as a 3rd input. Very cool stuff, thanks for sharing

In addition to a pointer replacement, there is an idea of using eye tracking on a virtual keyboard with a swype type entry.

That's a great idea! This would really push up input speed. I'm surprised I haven't seen any implementations in the wild yet, although research has been done to explore this [0]

[0] https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/1170/44feb247a82ab81a30b57f...

Re: Hands-Free Coding: How I develop software using dictation and eye-tracking

#13

Post by charris000 »

Ottolay wrote: post #7
rco8786 wrote: post #4

The eye tracking sounds like it could be incredibly useful as a 3rd input. Very cool stuff, thanks for sharing

In addition to a pointer replacement, there is an idea of using eye tracking on a virtual keyboard with a swype type entry.

I dunno... "swyping" your eyes around a virtual keyboard seems like it'd cause a lot of strain on your eyes.

Re: Hands-Free Coding: How I develop software using dictation and eye-tracking

#15

Post by noir_lord »

ateng wrote: post #3

As a developer who also has cubital tunnel syndrome, having keyboards that places commonly use modifier keys [0] on your thumbs, such as Kinesis advantage or Ergodox, helps reducing the fatigue and symptoms immensely. [0] it is called Emacs pinkies for a reason, and yes, my CTS is totally emacs’s fault as well.

Had pain a few years ago, switched to Ergo 4000's everywhere and have never had any pain since - depending on desk height I'll use the front riser but generally don't need it.

I love them so much I have spare new-in-box ones stashed as a hedge for the day they stop selling them.

They are about the cheapest good quality ergo keyboard I could find.

Re: Hands-Free Coding: How I develop software using dictation and eye-tracking

#16

Post by xyzzy_plugh »

ateng wrote: post #3

As a developer who also has cubital tunnel syndrome, having keyboards that places commonly use modifier keys [0] on your thumbs, such as Kinesis advantage or Ergodox, helps reducing the fatigue and symptoms immensely. [0] it is called Emacs pinkies for a reason, and yes, my CTS is totally emacs’s fault as well.

Not to flame-bait, but this is actually one of the reasons I've doubled down on vim. I like that I can function perfectly fine with one finger, I even managed to write a bunch of code using vim on my phone, and was surprised how well it translated.

You could definitely set up toggled modifier keys and do the same with emacs, FWIW.

Re: Hands-Free Coding: How I develop software using dictation and eye-tracking

#18

Post by weeb »

haxiomic wrote: post #12
Ottolay wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In addition to a pointer replacement, there is an idea of using eye tracking on a virtual keyboard with a swype type entry.

That's a great idea! This would really push up input speed. I'm surprised I haven't seen any implementations in the wild yet, although research has been done to explore this [0] [0] https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/1170/44feb247a82ab81a30b57f...

Windows 10's Eye Control has something like this, called "Shape Writing". See the second GIF here: https://www.theverge.com/2017/8/2/16087368/microsoft-eye-con...

Long before that, Optikey has had "multi-key selection" which works in the same way, see https://youtu.be/HLkyORh7vKk?t=10

In my experience (as a developer of eye gaze interfaces, not an everyday end user) it is often more efficient to have really good next-word-prediction (such as with the Presage engine) combined with single-letter dwells, rather than using "swipe-like" spelling, where you're committed to tracing out the whole word.

Re: Hands-Free Coding: How I develop software using dictation and eye-tracking

#19

Post by Symbiote »

867_5309_Jenny wrote: post #10
ateng wrote: post #3

As a developer who also has cubital tunnel syndrome, having keyboards that places commonly use modifier keys [0] on your thumbs, such as Kinesis advantage or Ergodox, helps reducing the fatigue and symptoms immensely. [0] it is called Emacs pinkies for a reason, and yes, my CTS is totally emacs’s fault as well.

Switching to a planck keyboard would let you customize all the positions of buttons for less strain.

The ErgoDox already allows arbitrary repositioning of the keys.

The Planck keyboard is cramped. It's worse than a cheap Microsoft ergonomic keyboard.

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