Financial Daily from THE HINDU group of publications
Monday, Mar 21, 2005
Financial Daily from THE HINDU group of publications Monday, Mar 21, 2005 |
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eWorld
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Technology Master the mouse
IBM has announced a new computer mouse adapter, developed in-house, that enables people who suffer from hand tremors to have completely normal use of a personal computer. IBM is licensing the mouse adapter to Montrose Secam Ltd, a British electronics company, which will manufacture and sell the Assistive Mouse Adapter for less than $100. According to the International Essential Tremor Foundation (IETF), nearly 10 million people in the US alone are affected by Essential Tremor, the most common form of hand tremors. The involuntary movements of the hand when using a computer mouse make it extremely difficult to operate a PC. Simple tasks such as opening an e-mail or pressing a Web button are almost impossible because the tremors are communicated to the mouse, causing the cursor to move erratically on screen. The new mouse adapter could change all that. It works by filtering out the shaking movements of the hand - in a similar way to how the image stabilising systems of some camera lenses work. The device, which works with any PC and operating system, can potentially benefit users in homes, offices, as well as in public places such as libraries and universities. No additional software being required, the adapter is plugged in between the computer and the mouse and can be switched on or off, and adjusted, depending on the severity of the tremor. It can also be set to filter out unintended multiple clicking on the mouse caused by a shaking finger. By bringing the mouse adapter to market, Montrose Secam hopes millions of sufferers around the world will now have uninterrupted access to their computers. Though Parkinson's is most commonly associated with tremors, other less known but actually more common conditions such as Essential Tremor (ET) restrict PC access. Picture by H.Vibhu
eWorld team
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