Good Day RettGirls!
Boy am I super excited about this one. Today we have for you a free, yes FREE, Head Mouse for your computer. You can find this Head Mouse on RettGirl.org in our Products Reviews under Communication!
On Friday, Abby's teacher sent this to me in an email. I was amazed that after a few minutes, I had a free Head Mouse installed on my computer. It works just like any other Head Mouse or Head Tracking device except there is no dot or head gear to wear. You just need a USB Webcam.
You simply download, and within minutes you are hands-free on your computer or the internet. A big plus for RettGirls.
You control where on your head you would like to track, the seconds of dwell before it clicks and more. You can also turn it on or off whenever you like. I have been playing with it all weekend.
I think this is a very exciting product for girls that can be taught to head track. I do feel the need to mention this is not a free eye-gaze device. It tracks the movement of your head, so our girls with better head control could have some great success with this.
The best thing of all is that there is no risk, no wasted money. It's FREE!
From the software website:
The program was developed to help people with disabilities use the computer. The main audience for this program is people who do not have reliable control of a hand but who can move their head. People with Cerebral Palsy, Spinal Muscular Atrophy, ALS, Multiple Sclerosis, Traumatic Brain Injury, various neurological disorders use this program and its predecessors to run all types of computer software.
Camera Mouse works as a mouse replacement system for Windows computers so it should work with just about any application program. For example people use Camera Mouse with entertainment programs, education programs, communication programs, web browsers, and so on. (See the Downloads page for some of the programs and websites that we have used with Camera Mouse.) Camera Mouse works best with application programs that require only a mouse and a left click and that do not have tiny targets. It's easier to use Camera Mouse with application programs that do not require extreme accuracy.
What equipment is required? A Windows 7 or Vista or up to date XP computer system and a standard USB webcam (or a webcam built into the computer or monitor). We do our development work with a Logitech HD Pro Webcam C910 or a Microsoft LifeCam Cinema. Camera Mouse works with other commercial USB webcams as well.
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Good luck and let us know how it works for you!
http://rettgirl.org/2011/10/free-camera-mouse/Terri V~For RettGirl
Thanks for posting this Terri! We stumbled across it years ago and have used several versions during that time. It amazes me that they continue to offer it free of charge. Isn't is awesome when folks do that?
ReplyDeleteOur success has depended completely on how well my computer is working. Right now, it's being quite sluggish and that makes it impossible for the web cam to work with the software. When my daughter moves quickly or far, it loses the point of reference on her face. The other factor involves excellent lighting, as the web cam has to be able to read the details of the face distinctly. Wearing a reflective dot can help.
When computers are functioning smoothly, though, CM is a GREAT way to test drive head mousing. It gives you a way to see if the concept and motor control will work with your daughter. For full time use, I recommend investing in dedicated head mouse, such as SmartNav AT or a Madentec product because they are more forgiving of movement and offer more adjustments, but CM is such a nice way to "try before you buy."