SweepSticks: An Adaptive Virtual Mouse for People With Neuromotor Disorders
By Mukherjee, Animesh; Chakraborty, Koushik; Basu, Anupam; Assistive Technology, Vol. 20, No. 2, pp. 111-124Publication Date: 2008
Article describes the development of SweepSticks, a computer special access system that emulates most of the features of a mouse. The system was developed to provide alternative mouse access to people with neuromotor disorders. It was named SweepSticks because the movement of the mouse on the computer screen resembles the sweeping action of two sticks. The tool enables the user to perform both mouse movements and clicks emulated by a software interface which is controlled by special hardware switches, called press switches, connected to the computer through the serial port. It also adapts itself to the user’s behavioral patterns by tracing and recording the sequence of mouse actions and subsequently providing relevant suggestions for future actions. Usability testing of SweepSticks was conducted with four participants with cerebral palsy and various degrees of motor impairment: two adults aged 25 and 26 years, and two 10-year-old children. Test results suggested that the tool could be quite effective in serving most of the computer-access needs of the user despite some limitations, notably its inability to handle pop-up boxes. Implications for further improvements of SweepSticks are discussed.
Published by: Rehabilitation Engineering & Assistive Technology Society of North America (RESNA) (Website:http://www.resna.org)
This publication is included in the library of the National Rehabilitation Information Center (NARIC), accession number J54873
