Voice mouse to help the disabled

[Max]

Voice mouse to help the disabled
Barbara Gengler
DECEMBER 03, 2002

THE days of pointing and clicking your way around the internet may soon be over.

A small US company has unveiled what it says is the next step in using speech technology to operate computer desktops using a combination of voice and mouse - the world's first voice mouse.
Commodio's QPointer HandsFree enables users to voice-navigate the internet, write and send email, create and edit documents and dictate directly into any Windows application.

The company says users with impaired fine motor skills or poor vision, such as some elderly people, have difficulty performing the precise movements and precise cursor positioning needed for a computer mouse. The same is true for people with repetitive strain injuries.

To tackle these issues, QPointer HandsFree offers voice control, mouseless operation and precise navigation.

Commodio chief executive Ramy Metzger says the product allows users to select an object on a computer screen by voice, like the way a person uses a mouse.

The user points at a screen object by first saying the name of a screen object set, such as words or toolbar buttons. Indexing hint tags are then displayed next to all screen elements of the corresponding screen object set.

The user speaks the index tag associated with the requested screen object and the cursor jumps to the object. With the cursor positioned, any mouse command can be imitated with the user saying a command. For example, "double-click".

Commodio's QPointer HandsFree system analyses screen content and uses a Microsoft speech-recognition engine.

Metzger says user should do some voice training so QPointer HandsFree recognises the voice easily.

"This is new and cutting-edge technology that does make mistakes and requires the user to repeat things from time to time," Metzger says.

It is impossible for some disabled and senior users to use a standard device, such as a mouse or touchpad, he says.

"A person with hand motion impairments, repetitive strain injury or poor vision will have a clear advantage," he says.




http://australianit.news.com.au/arti...nbv%5E,00.html