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Hands Free Computer Mouse

Electrical Engineers Create Voice-Controlled Mouse

February 1, 2008

Computer scientists worked with electrical engineers to move the cursor on a computer screen with the userýs voice instead of a mouse. Software interprets vocal commands to move the cursor, allowing people who cannot use their arms to browse the web, player video games, or use photo editing software.

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Other voice control technologies: People who use a new kind of wheelchair can now move it using their tongue rather than their hands. Mechanical engineers and computer scientists worked together to develop the wheelchair controls. Moving the tongue changes the air pressure in the users' ears. In the new wheelchair design, a microphone near the ears picks up the change in air pressure and issues commands to a computer chip, which moves the chair in a specified direction.

The Human Factors and Ergonomics Society contributed to the information contained in the TV portion of this report.

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More information on this story

Dr. Jeff Bilmes
Seattle, WA
(206) 221-5236
bilmes@ee.washington.edu

Human Factors and Ergonomics Society
Santa Monica, CA 90406
(310) 394-1811


© 2008 American Institute of Physics