The access options for people with disabilities who rely on their hands to control an assistive device have not improved in many years. The proposed project creates a new input method for assistive devices in which the size, shape, and function of the access area are customizable to the needs and abilities of the user. To accomplish this we will use the remote control for the Nintendo Wii to track hand movements over an image palette and translate these movements into computer-control functions. This access method combines the advantages of low-tech and high-tech access techniques to create a new access method that we have named Wii-see. During this Phase 1 project, the research team will design and build a first generation prototype of Wii-see. Consumers and assistive technology professionals will evaluate this prototype so that reviewers of the Phase 2 proposal can judge the effectiveness, efficiency, and user acceptance of Wii-see as an access method.
Computers enable many people with substantial disabilities to participate in home, work, and leisure activities. The proposed research aims to reduce the physical fatigue associated with computer access so that these people can participate more fully.
