Dan_Jacobson@ihlpz.ATT.COM (Dan Jacobson) (05/10/91)
Index Number: 15470
This is a summary of the mail messages I collected on "One handed
computing (mainly UNIX) for disabled person?" I took out most of the
messages that were posted to netnews or had big programs... e-mail me
for my complete mailbox.
Dan_Jacobson@ATT.COM Naperville IL USA +1 708 979 6364
---titles----
"One handed UNIX, Emacs for disabled person?" (Dan_Jacobson@ATT.COM)
"Re: One handed UNIX, Emacs for disabled person?" (Michael A. Covington)
"Re: One handed UNIX, Emacs for disabled person?" (Kenneth Herron)
"Re: One handed UNIX, Emacs for disabled person?" (John R. Gersh)
"One handed UNIX, Emacs for disabled person?" (Robert J. Chassell)
"Re: EMACS for disabled" (Doug Gwyn)
"Re: One Handed UNIX" (dsndata!tssi!nolan@uunet.UU.NET)
"[Netnews] Re: One handed UNIX, Emacs for disabled person?" (Daniel Jacobson)
"One handed keyboards" (Robert J. Chassell)
"One handed UNIX, Emacs for disabled person?" (Thomas M. Breuel)
"[Netnews] Re: One handed UNIX, Emacs for disabled person?" (Dan_Jacobson@ATT.COM)
"Re: One handed UNIX, Emacs for disabled person?" (wgoble@BBN.COM)
"one-handed input" (Carol Davis)
"Re: One handed UNIX, Emacs for disabled person?" (Vicki L. Almstrum)
"Re: One handed UNIX, Emacs for disabled person?" (Henry Bland)
"[Netnews] Re: One handed UNIX, Emacs for disabled person?" (Dan_Jacobson@ATT.COM)
"onehanded emacs" (SMITC@ches.cs.vims.edu)
"[Netnews] Re: One handed UNIX, Emacs for disabled person?" (Dan_Jacobson@ATT.COM)
"[Netnews] Re: One handed UNIX, Emacs for disabled person?" (Dan_Jacobson@ATT.COM)
"[Netnews] Re: One handed UNIX, Emacs for disabled person?" (Dan_Jacobson@ATT.COM)
"Re: One handed UNIX, Emacs for disabled person?" (Steven Schwartz)
"Re: One handed UNIX for disabled person?" (James Fischer)
"Re: One handed UNIX for disabled person?" (Ihor J Kinal)
"was it you interested in one-handed emacs?" (pjr@ariel.ucs.unimelb.EDU.AU)
"[Netnews] Re: One handed UNIX, Emacs for disabled person?" (Daniel Jacobson)
"" (David Curtin)
"MySystem" (SMITC@ches.cs.vims.edu)
"One handed UNIX" (hugh_davies.wgc1@rx.xerox.com)
"One handed UNIX for disabled person?" (ihlpy!smc)
"One handed terminals - more on the Microwriter Agenda." (hugh_davies.wgc1@rx.xerox.com)
------- Start of digest -------
From: Dan_Jacobson@ATT.COM
Subject: One handed UNIX, Emacs for disabled person?
Date: Thu, 28 Mar 91 19:26:23 GMT
Organization: AT&T-BL, Naperville IL, USA
Hello. Has anybody got ideas for using mainframe UNIX or computers in
general for a disabled person with use of only the right hand? I am
thinking of recommending a terminal with two "control" keys (e.g., the
Teletype 4425) instead of the usual one. [Turning to editors:] Also
making heavy use of GNU Emacs numerical keypad programmability, but
then again perhaps running it in VI emulation to avoid the old
control-key finger stretch. [Also perhaps having a control key prefix
character, just like ESC means "Meta-" ...] The mouse also seems
important. Of course there's the possibility of just using plain VI,
however I have not met the person yet and am not yet aware of their
future customization needs.
[also posted to misc.handicap [hopefully]]
- --
Dan_Jacobson@ATT.COM Naperville IL USA +1 708 979 6364
------------------------------
From: mcovingt@athena.cs.uga.edu (Michael A. Covington)
Subject: Re: One handed UNIX, Emacs for disabled person?
Date: 28 Mar 91 19:14:42 GMT
Organization: University of Georgia, Athens
Use an IBM PC as a terminal, and modify the BIOS so that the CTRL, ALT,
and SHIFT keys are "sticky" (they toggle on and off rather than having to
be depressed simultaneously with another key). There exists a short
program which you can run (upon boot-up) to make them work this way.
The PC (a laptop, perhaps) could then be a terminal on any other computer.
- --
- -------------------------------------------------------
Michael A. Covington | Artificial Intelligence Programs
The University of Georgia | Athens, GA 30602 U.S.A.
- -------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------
From: Kenneth Herron <kherron@ms.uky.edu>
Subject: Re: One handed UNIX, Emacs for disabled person?
No specific information, but from time time I've seen adds for one-handed
"keyboards" available. These typically have two-three buttons per finger
which are pressed in different combinations to yield different characters.
If anything like that is available today, chances are good that it'll
be PC-compatible, so if you can find one of these your friend could probably
use a PC with a comm program as his terminal.
------------------------------
From: gersh@aplpy.jhuapl.edu (John R. Gersh)
Subject: Re: One handed UNIX, Emacs for disabled person?
Organization: Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab
In article <DANJ1.91Mar28132419@cbnewse.ATT.COM> you write:
>Hello. Has anybody got ideas for using mainframe UNIX or computers in
>general for a disabled person with use of only the right hand?
Have you considered using a Macintosh running a terminal emulator
program? The Mac comes with system software that provides Easy Access
(that's the name of the init code) for just this purpose. One of the
features of Easy Access is to make all of the modifier keys (shift,
control, the mac-specific option and command) "sticky." When the
feature is invoked, modifier keys can be pressed in sequence with the
keys they modify, rather than simultaneously. A little icon in the
menu bar indicates the current modifier key state.
Most good Mac communications programs allow the user to specify the
mapping of the option and command keys into appropriate
terminal-specific codes. EMACS can be a problem, sometimes; trying out
the terminal-emulation software first is recommended.
In general, though, the Mac's Easy Access is designed to address
exactly the situation you describe.
- John Gersh
- --
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
gersh@aplpy.jhuapl.edu {backbone!}mimsy!aplcen!aplcomm!gersh
The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
Johns Hopkins Rd., Laurel, MD 20723 (301) 953-5503
------------------------------
From: bob@gnu.ai.mit.edu (Robert J. Chassell)
Subject: One handed UNIX, Emacs for disabled person?
Dvorak not only designed the Dvorak keyboard for two handed people, he
designed left and right handed keyboards for one handed people.
The keys are located for efficient one handed typing. If you are
interested, I could look up the layout this weekend when I will be
near the book that has it. Also, several people here have been using
one or other sort of little program to remap keys for regular Dvorak
keyboards; you could adapt one. Would you like me to track down such
a program?
(I once used the two handed Dvorak keyboard and much prefer it to
qwerty, but had to switch back when I started using five different
computer keyboards, none of which, for odd, mostly administrative,
reasons, could be converted to dvorak. :-( Dvorak is much nicer if
you type alot.)
Robert J. Chassell bob@gnu.ai.mit.edu
Rattlesnake Mountain Road (413) 298-4725 or (617) 253-8568 or
Stockbridge, MA 01262-0693 USA (617) 876-3296 (for messages)
------------------------------
From: Doug Gwyn <gwyn@BRL.MIL>
Subject: Re: EMACS for disabled
"sam" is easy to use one-handed.
------------------------------
From: dsndata!tssi!nolan@uunet.UU.NET
Subject: Re: One Handed UNIX
>Hello. Has anybody got ideas for using mainframe UNIX or computers in
>general for a disabled person with use of only the right hand? I am
>thinking of recommending a terminal with two "control" keys (e.g., the
>Teletype 4425) instead of the usual one. [Turning to editors:] Also
>making heavy use of GNU Emacs numerical keypad programmability, but
>then again perhaps running it in VI emulation to avoid the old
>control-key finger stretch.
I'm VERY interested in what you come up with. Let me present an even
tougher challenge, however. I have a friend with cerebral palsy who
can only communicate with a stick attached to his head. (He's been
successful enough at it to have written and published a book about his
experiences in college.)
Because of the high frequency of unwanted multiple keystrokes, wrong or missed
keystrokes, etc., and the inability to do multiple key combinations
(locking shift/control keys are possible, but very slow to use), coming up
with a way for him to access news and e-mail on my Sys V release 2 system has
been a great challenge. (This would be by modem.)
Anything you can come up with (or others) would be GREATLY appreciated.
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Michael Nolan "Software means never having
Tailored Software Services, Inc. to say you're finished."
Lincoln, Nebraska (402) 423-1490 --J. D. Hildebrand in UNIX REVIEW
UUCP: tssi!nolan (or try sparky!dsndata!tssi!nolan)
Internet: nolan@helios.unl.edu (if you can't get the other address to work)
------------------------------
From: wtm@bunker.shel.isc-br.com (Bill McGarry)
Subject: Re: One handed UNIX, Emacs for disabled person?
Organization: The Handicap News BBS (1-203-337-1607)
danj1@ihlpz.att.com (Daniel Jacobson) writes:
> Hello. Has anybody got ideas for using mainframe UNIX or computers in
> general for a disabled person with use of only the right hand?
There is a program called "hsh" which allows someone running
Unix to use the control and shift keys with only one finger.
The program was written by Ole Bjorn Hessen.
A copy of the source (in C), makefile and man page will be sent
to you tonight.
If you're interested in similar utilities for the PC, just
let me know. There are several programs which I have here
which will help.
Anyone else who is interested please let me know.
Bill McGarry
UUCP: {oliveb, philabs, decvax, yale}!bunker!wtm
INTERNET: wtm@bunker.shel.isc-br.com
BITNET: l-hcap@ndsuvm1.bitnet
fidonet: The Handicap News BBS (141/420) 1-203-337-1607
(300/1200/2400 baud, 24 hours)
Compuserve: 73170,1064
------------------------------
From: grackle!bob@ai.mit.edu (Robert J. Chassell)
Subject: One handed keyboards
Here are the layouts for left and right handed keyboards.
You might want to post them to misc.handicapped.
The information is taken from:
"The Dvorak Keyboard" by R. C. Cassingham,
1986, Freelance Commications, Arcata, CA
ISBN 0-935309-10-1
The designs are freely redistributable and legally useable by all.
According to R. C. Cassingham in his book, Dvorak was inspired to
design a one handed keyboard for Col. Robert Allen, a writer who lost
his arm during WWII. Cassingham says, "Ten weeks after he got his
one-hand typewriter, Col Allen was typing on it at 56 WPM... On the
one-hand boards, within reach of your sinjgle hand, are the 21 keys
that make up 97.6 percent of all typing."
The Smith-Corona company sold both one and two handed Dvorak
typewriters. (I have a two handed Dvorak typewriter, if someone wants
it). In its design, the Smith-Corona company changed the locations of
non-alphabetical keys.
Here is Dvorak's left handed keyboard, unshifted only:
? ' P F M L J 0 2 3
; Q B Y U R S O . 5 4
- K C D T H E A Z 6 7
" X G V W N I , 9 8
Here is Dvorak's left handed keyboard, including shift keys:
* / ( ) #
? ' P F M L J 0 2 3
: % $
; Q B Y U R S O . 5 4
_ &
- K C D T H E A Z 6 7
! @
" X G V W N I , 9 8
Here is Smith-Corona's left handed keyboard, unshifted only:
= ] / P F M L J 4 3 2 1
; Q B Y U R S O . 6 5
- K C D T H E A Z 8 7
' X G V W N I , 0 9
Here is Smith-Corona's left handed keyboard, including shift keys:
+ [ ? $ # @ !
= ] / P F M L J 4 3 2 1
: %
; Q B Y U R S O . 6 5
_ * &
- K C D T H E A Z 8 7
" ) (
' X G V W N I , 0 9
Here is Dvorak's right handed keyboard, unshifted only:
3 2 0 J L M F P ' ?
4 5 Q . O R S U Y B ;
7 6 Z A E H T D C K -
8 9 X , I N W V G "
Here is Dvorak's right handed keyboard, including shift keys:
# ) ( / *
3 2 0 J L M F P ' ?
$ % :
4 5 Q . O R S U Y B ;
& _
7 6 Z A E H T D C K -
@ !
8 9 X , I N W V G "
Here is Smith-Corona's right handed keyboard, unshifted only:
1 2 3 4 J L M F P / ] =
5 6 Q . O R S U Y B ;
7 8 Z A E H T D C K -
9 0 X , I N W V G '
Here is Smith-Corona's right handed keyboard, including shift keys:
! @ # $ ? [ +
1 2 3 4 J L M F P / ] =
% :
5 6 Q . O R S U Y B ;
& * _
7 8 Z A E H T D C K -
( ) "
9 0 X , I N W V G '
================================================================
And for completeness, Here are the two-handed keyboard designs:
Dvorak's design:
7 5 3 1 9 0 2 4 6 8
? , . P Y F G C R L /
A O E U I D H T N S -
' Q J K X B M W V Z
# ( ) " % _ $ @ * (missing symbol is a US cent sign)
7 5 3 1 9 0 2 4 6 8
: &
? , . P Y F G C R L /
_
A O E U I D H T N S -
;
' Q J K X B M W V Z
Smith-Corona's design, which is ANSI Standard X4.22-1983:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 ] =
/ , . P Y F G C R L ;
A O E U I D H T N S -
' Q J K X B M W V Z
! @ # $ % & * ( ) [ + (missing symbol is a US cent sign)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 ] =
? :
/ , . P Y F G C R L ;
_
A O E U I D H T N S -
"
' Q J K X B M W V Z
Best wishes.
Robert J. Chassell bob@gnu.ai.mit.edu
Rattlesnake Mountain Road (413) 298-4725 or (617) 253-8568 or
Stockbridge, MA 01262-0693 USA (617) 876-3296 (for messages)
------------------------------
From: tmb@ai.mit.edu (Thomas M. Breuel)
Subject: One handed UNIX, Emacs for disabled person?
Hello. Has anybody got ideas for using mainframe UNIX or computers in
general for a disabled person with use of only the right hand? I am
thinking of recommending a terminal with two "control" keys (e.g., the
Teletype 4425) instead of the usual one.
If you run X windows, you can reconfigure the keyboard completely.
Most keyboards have at least two "special" keys, one right, one left
to the spacebar, that can be programmed to be control keys.
Getting an X terminal or a SparcStation SLC might be a nice,
relatiely low-cost solution. In Emacs, you might be able to get
away with a normal terminal if you program one of the function keys
as a "control prefix" (this requires a little hacking). Some
PC keyboards (including the one I'm typing at right now) have both
two control and two meta keys, arranged symmetrically around the
space bar.
The person might be able to get by with just one control key. I have
no trouble reaching all the control-combinations on my keyboard with
just one hand (the right one one the control key is on the left); even
control-shift-something is possible on my PC keyboard, since shift and
control can be struck simultaneously with the thumb.
[Turning to editors:] Also
making heavy use of GNU Emacs numerical keypad programmability, but
then again perhaps running it in VI emulation to avoid the old
control-key finger stretch. [Also perhaps having a control key prefix
character, just like ESC means "Meta-" ...]
The vi command set is probably easier to use with one hand. Emacs has
a powerful abbrev mode that could help people who cannot type very
well. So, yes, VIP mode with abbrev mode may be the way to go.
The mouse also seems
important. Of course there's the possibility of just using plain VI,
however I have not met the person yet and am not yet aware of their
future customization needs.
I have seen several people who weren't trained in touch typing learning
to type with one hand rather quickly. It's slower than two-handed
typing, but it should not be too hard.
------------------------------
From: pepke@gw.scri.fsu.edu (Eric Pepke)
Subject: Re: One handed UNIX, Emacs for disabled person?
Organization: Florida State University, but I don't speak for them
In article <DANJ1.91Mar28132419@cbnewse.ATT.COM> Dan_Jacobson@ATT.COM
writes:
> Hello. Has anybody got ideas for using mainframe UNIX or computers in
> general for a disabled person with use of only the right hand?
The Apple Macintosh has sticky control key ability built into the OS. One
of the terminal packages that I use, VersaTerm Pro, allows you to use the
mouse for moving around in vi or EMACS. This requires a modifier key to
be held, but with the stickiness, this shouldn't be much of a problem.
I remember from the early days of microcomputers, when real programmers
used toggle switches and keyboards were outrageously expensive, there was
a one-handed ASCII keyboard. It was a sphere with four finger buttons and
eight thumb buttons. One was supposed to play a chord with the fingers,
giving eight bits, and then press one of the thumb buttons, giving three
more. It was attractive to a lot of people because the small number of
moving parts made it cheap. You might be able to find one used. It would
take a lot of training to use, and it might be very hard to get any amount
of speed, but it's worth investigating.
I have no connection with any of these manufacturers.
Eric Pepke INTERNET: pepke@gw.scri.fsu.edu
Supercomputer Computations Research Institute MFENET: pepke@fsu
Florida State University SPAN: scri::pepke
Tallahassee, FL 32306-4052 BITNET: pepke@fsu
Disclaimer: My employers seldom even LISTEN to my opinions.
Meta-disclaimer: Any society that needs disclaimers has too many lawyers.
------------------------------
From: wgoble@BBN.COM
Subject: Re: One handed UNIX, Emacs for disabled person?
Organization: Bolt Beranek and Newman Inc., Cambridge MA
Try:
Janet Baker, President
Dragon Systems, Inc.
90 Bridge St.
Newton, MA 02158
This may be overkill for your current case, but these people make a voice
activator that sits on top of any other program and lets you spell your
instructions into your computer with no use of hands.
Good luck.
Wendy Goble
wgoble@bbn.com
------------------------------
From: cdavis@valhalla.cs.wright.edu (Carol Davis)
Subject: one-handed input
Did you get a response to your request for a means of using the computer
with only one hand? I wrote a program that allows input with as little
as one switch or with a combination of switches and keyed input. The
main problem is that it works on PC machines. There are several
approaches that you can take with PC's. I have not seen anything with
Unix based machines though.
I have had problems marketing my package, as there is not a large demand
for the product. I would be interested in knowing what you have found.
Thank you. Carol A. Davis, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio.
------------------------------
From: almstrum@cs.utexas.edu (Vicki L. Almstrum)
Subject: Re: One handed UNIX, Emacs for disabled person?
Organization: U. Texas CS Dept., Austin, Texas
While working in a standards and methods group (in Stockholm Sweden), two
of the guys in my group set up a very nice set of shortcut commands for
emacs using the numeric keypad. One could use one, two rapid, or three
rapid strokes in order to accomplish the most usual (read most often used)
emacs commands. I still used the alphabetic keyboard for entering text, but
used the numeric keyboard commands almost exclusively. That was probably
the most productive I've ever been using emacs; the downside was that using
that method allowed me to forget the "real" commands, which has been a
handicap in new environments.
I almost certainly have some sort of documentation on this somewhere, if
you're interested in more info; it could give you ideas, if nothing else.
It would take me a while to locate it, however, so you'd need to be a bit
patient. ;-)
- -- Vicki Almstrum
almstrum@cs.utexas.edu
------------------------------
From: henry@geoph.ucalgary.ca (Henry Bland)
Subject: Re: One handed UNIX, Emacs for disabled person?
Organization: CREWES Group, University of Calgary
How about wiring up footswitches to do the control and shift key funtions?
------------------------------
From: lance@motcsd.csd.mot.com (lance.norskog)
Subject: Re: One handed UNIX, Emacs for disabled person?
Organization: Motorola CSD, Cupertino CA
Dan_Jacobson@ATT.COM writes:
>Hello. Has anybody got ideas for using mainframe UNIX or computers in
>general for a disabled person with use of only the right hand? ...
> [ also asks about text editors ]
I think I'm getting Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, so I'm building myself
a chord keyboard. This consists of 5 buttons on a flat mounting,
one for each digit. I'm adding a space bar. I'm mounting it in a
5"x7"x1" project box. I'm interfacing it all to an IBM PC.
With an IBM PC parallel port, pull an open switch to ground and a closed
switch to 5V. Run all 6 switches through a 7405 hex open-collector inverter,
wire-NOR all the outputs, and you get a switch-down interrupt line on
the parallel port. (The interrupt handler has to poll until a switch
goes up. You can avoid this inefficiency with many chips instead of one:
debounce the switch inputs, sample&hold all switch-downs, any interrupt on
any switch-up. I'm too lazy to do all this design & wiring.)
Now for graphics input:
Get a Konami Nintendo-compatible ZapGun Helmet ($40). The Nintendo ZapGun is
a light pen with a narrow lens in the barrel. The Konami Helmet puts
the lens in a monocle, and a binary switch in a microphone. Any noise
closes the switch. You also get stereo headphones. You should be able
to interface the light pen to real, IBM-compatible Hercules, CGA, and EGA
display adapters. One VGA chip manufacturer, Cirrus (Fremont, CA)
claims to support light pens. I'm researching this one.
You won't be able to draw free-hand with such a head-mouse, but you should
be able to select screen buttons.
An alternative for graphics input is something underfoot, if the
disabled person has use of the peds. The IBM joystick card gives
your 4 switch inputs and 4 resistor A-D inputs.
Dr. Douglas Englebart, inventor of the chord keyboard, mouse,
WIMP interface, and many other things, claimed in a recent seminar
that the chord keyboard group ran a big experiment to determine the
difficulty of learning a chord keyboard. They hired a bunch of
office temps and carefully did the whole experimental-control group
protocol. One group got special hands-on training, the other group
got written instructions and were left alone. Both groups were keying
away madly in 2 hours, and the experiment was a washout. Chord keyboards
are easy.
Dr. Englebart sat there chording with his left hand, mousing with his
right, and talking simultaneously, showing off a really slick hypertext
system his group wrote 25 years ago. It was very impressive.
Good luck,
Lance Norskog
------------------------------
From: SMITC@ches.cs.vims.edu
Subject: onehanded emacs
Dear Dan,
With reference to your hcap-l posting on one-handed key systems, I
am a mouthstick user (one-finger, if you will). I currently run Emacs
on a Prime using HP Pascal workstation with custom keymaps for
Emacs, WordMarc Composer, and "stupid telnet VT100" frequently used
functions, and use named macro calls for less-frequently used
routines.
I wrote all my emulator routines myself, but since I may be
required to switch to a unix or pc box soon, I would like to keep
track of all the tools appropriate for a mouthstick jockey like
myself. I have noted (in hcap-l and elsewhere) special keyboards,
etc., but the costs are pretty steep compared with the software
route of simulated simultaneous keypresses with sequential ones.
This might be a good topic for occasional summary posting on
discussion list, don't you think. I'd be pleased to give it a whirl
when I have actually tried other soft/hardware combos.
Are you the one-handed puncher, or are you assisting one? I
would be interested in further correspondence, either way. Do you
participate in network services for att, or know what's available?
I am particularly interested in e-mail to surface mail gateway services.
Regards,
Craig
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
: Craig L. Smith : (804) 642-7246 : Internet : smitc@ches.cs.vims.edu:
: Div. of Chemistry and Toxicology :
: Virginia Institute of Marine Science / College of William and Mary :
: Gloucester Point, VA 23062 :
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
------------------------------
From: agodwin@acorn.co.uk (Adrian Godwin)
Subject: Re: One handed UNIX, Emacs for disabled person?
Organization: Acorn Computers Ltd, Cambridge, UK
In article <2643@sun13.scri.fsu.edu> pepke@gw.scri.fsu.edu (Eric Pepke) writes:
>I remember from the early days of microcomputers, when real programmers
>used toggle switches and keyboards were outrageously expensive, there was
>a one-handed ASCII keyboard. It was a sphere with four finger buttons and
>eight thumb buttons. One was supposed to play a chord with the fingers,
>giving eight bits, and then press one of the thumb buttons, giving three
>more. It was attractive to a lot of people because the small number of
>moving parts made it cheap. You might be able to find one used. It would
>take a lot of training to use, and it might be very hard to get any amount
>of speed, but it's worth investigating.
There's still a commercially-produced keyboard of this form, known as the
MicroWriter. It was - probably still is - quite popular among blind/disabled/
special needs users in this country, though that isn't its primary market.
First incarnation was a hand-sized device with 6 keys (only the thumb had to
move) with about 8K of RAM and an 1802 processor. It was intended for use as
a portable word-processor. The same mechanics and case were used as an auxiliary
keyboard for the BBC Micro (using a resistor network on the switches, fed to an
analogue input port on the micro).
Current version is known as the 'Agenda' (no relation to the Lotus PC package)
and is very much modernised. It supports similar WP facilities to the original,
as well as diary, calculator and other 'pocketbook' features. It also has a
serial port that is used to provide keyboard emulation and file access facilities
on a PC - this might be adaptable to your use.
The manufacturers, MicroWriter Systems PLC, are on (+44) 81-685-0300 or
2, Wandle Way, Willow Lane, Mitcham, Surrey, CR4 4NA, United Kingdom.
I have no personal connection with this company, but follow their products with
interest - it's a pleasure to see somebody breaking the QWERTY mould, especially
in the handheld market where multi-key keyboards are inappropriate.
- -adrian
- --
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------
Adrian Godwin (agodwin@acorn.co.uk)
------------------------------
From: src@scuzzy.in-berlin.de (Heiko Blume)
Subject: Re: One handed UNIX, Emacs for disabled person?
Organization: Contributed Software
pepke@gw.scri.fsu.edu (Eric Pepke) writes:
>In article <DANJ1.91Mar28132419@cbnewse.ATT.COM> Dan_Jacobson@ATT.COM
>writes:
>> Hello. Has anybody got ideas for using mainframe UNIX or computers in
>> general for a disabled person with use of only the right hand?
>I remember from the early days of microcomputers, when real programmers
>used toggle switches and keyboards were outrageously expensive, there was
>a one-handed ASCII keyboard.
in fact soemthing very much like this was developed last year or
so. it also uses 'chords' played with one hand, and can is a
replacement for ibm pc keyboards.
there was an article in a big german magazine called c't, if
you mail to ix@cosmo they might help you (iX is a magazine
of the same publisher, couldn't find a email address for
c't).
- --
Heiko Blume <-+-> src@scuzzy.in-berlin.de <-+-> (+49 30) 691 88 93 [voice!]
public UNIX source archive [HST V.42bis]:
scuzzy Any ACU,f 38400 6919520 gin:--gin: nuucp sword: nuucp
uucp scuzzy!/src/README /your/home
------------------------------
From: petej@hpsad.HP.COM (Pete Johnson)
Subject: Re: One handed UNIX, Emacs for disabled person?
Organization: HP Signal Analysis Division - Rohnert Park, CA
I have a feeling that the easiest option would be to have the person log
onto the unix computer through a PC. This way they can take advantage of all
the PC written software and PC input devices developed for Handicapped
individuals. Because of the lack of standardization of software drivers
and input devices in the Unix world, your solutions are usually limited what
that specific manufacturer has developed (which unfortunately probably isn't
much). However, on the PC side there are several alternatives because of the
standardization of the way software and hardware works and the types of
connectors used on the hardware. There are several software developers and
3rd party manufacturers which make devices that can be used on any IBM
compatible PC.
IBM has done a fair amount of work you may want to contact the IBM Suport
Center for People with Disabilities (800) 426-2133. Other possible sources
are The Trace Research and Development Center (608) 262-6966, The Alliance
for Technology Access (415) 528-0747, and Closing The Gap (612) 248-3294.
Listed below are some files I got from our corporate software bulletin board
utility which were downloaded from Compuserve. You have to have access to,
and be familiar with Compuserve (which I am not) to download the files from
the owner. The owner is the 9 digit number with the comma in it
(OWNER: XXXXX,XXXX).
NAME: 1finge.lzh SIZE: 11997
PROGRAM: 1finger DATE: Sep 12, 1989
MACHINE: VECTRA IBM ENV: MSDOS
LICENSE: SHARE COST: 5.00
VERSION: 1.0 OWNER: 71131,1607
KEYWORDS: KEYBOARD REDEFINE HANDICAP
DESCRIPTION: This is 1FINGER which allows full keyboard use with one hand (or
finger). Press ctrl, let go, then "c" for ^C etc. Can display
status on screen or beep, turned on/off and swap shift for
control, alt. Alt numeric pad combo can also be done with one
finger. Shareware Fee $5.00.
NAME: big26.lzh SIZE: 142678
PROGRAM: bigmono DATE: Sep 2, 1990
MACHINE: VECTRA IBM ENV: MSDOS
LICENSE: SHARE COST: 10.00
VERSION: 2.3 OWNER: 75076,2466
KEYWORDS: VIDEO DISPLAY SCREEN GRAPHIC HANDICAP
DESCRIPTION: BIG; displays enlarged characters This program is for showing
enlarged characters on the screen of an IBM style computer.
Originally written to assist visually impared. Includes Graphic
and non-graphic versions. Program author is JL Bellamy.
Shareware Fee $10.00.
NAME: cbfb.lzh SIZE: 64811
PROGRAM: cbfb DATE: Aug 18, 1989
MACHINE: VECTRA IBM ENV: MSDOS
LICENSE: FREE COST: 0.00
VERSION: OWNER: KENC
KEYWORDS: HANDICAP VISUAL READING
DESCRIPTION: Information about Computerized Books for the Blind and hearing
impared. Many works have are available on diskettes that can be
used with equipment to assist vision and hearing impared users.
Information about the cbfb organization and | obtaining works.
Use LHarc option -r to generate subdirectory structure.
NAME: cdbeep.lzh SIZE: 12503
PROGRAM: cdbeep DATE: Jan 23, 1991
MACHINE: VECTRA IBM ENV: MSDOS
LICENSE: FREE COST: 0
VERSION: 1.0 OWNER: 72230,1306
KEYWORDS: SYSTEM SPEAKER BELL HANDICAP HEARING
DESCRIPTION: CBEEP/DBEEP replace BEEP with visible Flash v1.0 CBEEP/DBEEP
will search within any .COM or .EXE program for Beep code and
create a duplicate of the program with the Beep code replaced
with a screen BEEP flash of selectable duration and size. This
will benefit hearing-impaired users or those who merely need a
quieter environment. Upl/Auth: William Cravener
NAME: seebep.lzh SIZE: 1149
PROGRAM: seebeep DATE: Jan 27, 1991
MACHINE: VECTRA IBM ENV: MSDOS
LICENSE: FREE COST: 0
VERSION: OWNER: 72230,1306
KEYWORDS: SYSTEM SPEAKER BELL HANDICAP HEARING TSR
DESCRIPTION: SEEBEEP.COM - Visual replacement for computer Beep This little
program is in answer to a request for a visual replacement for
the computers Error Beep - great for the hearing impaired. Works
on Mono or CGA text Modes I declare this program Public Domain.
Upl/by Author William Cravener
NAME: staydown.arc SIZE: 11445
PROGRAM: staydown DATE: May 30, 1988
MACHINE: VECTRA IBM ENV: MSDOS
LICENSE: FREE COST: 0.00
VERSION: OWNER: PCMAGNET
KEYWORDS: KEYBOARD HANDICAP
DESCRIPTION: Temporarily locks down any Ctrl, Alt, or Shift key that is
pressed. From PC Magazine Programs. STAYDOWN Turns awkward
keystroke combinations into keystroke sequences. It temporarily
locks down any Ctrl, Alt, or Shift key that is pressed until it
receives the break code from a second key. A welcome relief for
handicapped members of the user community who are physically
limited to pressing a single key at a time.
Regards,
Pete
******************************************************************************
* Pete W. Johnson * e-mail: petej@hpsad.hp.com *
* Ergonomics/Facilities Engineering * *
* Hewlett-Packard * *
* 1212 Valley House Drive MS 1UR-I * Phone#: 707 / 794-4671 *
* Rohnert Park ,CA 94928-4999 * Fax #: 707 794-3844 *
******************************************************************************
------------------------------
From: schwartz@nynexst.com (Steven Schwartz)
Subject: Re: One handed UNIX, Emacs for disabled person?
Organization: Expert Systems Lab., NYNEX Sci. and Tech., White Plains NY
I'm mailing bc outbound news is temporarily down here.
Feel free to post this to the newsgroup if you like.
The first idea that comes to mind is foot pedals for chords, i.e. SHIFT,
CTRL, META. Previous studies have shown that foot-shifting, as opposed to
finger-shifting, does not increase work efficiency for the average person.
For the disabled, it could be a tremendous help.
- --
S. H. Schwartz schwartz@nynexst.com
Expert Systems Laboratory 914-683-2960
NYNEX Science and Technology Center
White Plains NY 10604
------------------------------
From: gcjhf%gcss20@att.att.com (James Fischer)
Subject: Re: One handed UNIX for disabled person?
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
Check out the (now discontinued) UNIX PC (also known as
3B1, 7300, etc). The mouse and "User Agent" allows most
common operations do be done (one-handed!) with the mouse.
The large number of function keys also make things more
simple (for example, to print a file, highlight the file
and press the "print" button, or use the mouse to call up
the function menu, and point to print and "click").
...all in all, a good machine. I know, cause I tend
to eat, smoke, and or drink while using my machine,
hence the "one-handed operation" experience.
...on the other hand (bad pun! bad!) no amount of fancy
mouse/menu stuff will make the keyboarding faster...
james h fischer
UNIX System Laboratories
(A Subsidiary of AT&T, and
glad of it!)
------------------------------
From: ijk@violin.att.com (Ihor J Kinal)
Subject: Re: One handed UNIX for disabled person?
> I am collecting information on programs available to help a disabled
> person use the UNIX system with one hand. Please send information to
> Dan_Jacobson@ATT.COM, AT&T Bell Labs IH 1B-210, 2000 N. Naperville Rd.
> Naperville, IL 60566-7033, +1 708 979 6364, att!ihlpz!danj1 . Thank
> you.
It's been a while [say 5-6 years], but I remember some devices that were
offered for PC users that allowed the ALT and CTRL keys to be operated
by a foot pedal.
Vaguely, I believe there are loadable programs that make these keys
into modes like the numlock.
[ I guess that the net pc news bins would be a good place to follow up
in.]
HOPE this is of some help.
Ihor Kinal
trumpet!ijk
------------------------------
From: pjr@ariel.ucs.unimelb.EDU.AU
Subject: was it you interested in one-handed emacs?
If so, then it is, at least, possible. Rick Wolski at NCAR suffered a
stroke a couple of years ago. A similar condition has, alas, since killed
him. In the interum, he customized his environment for one hand. It
consisted of a Sun SS-1 and mainly ran emacs including, I think, as a login
shell. I don't have much more detail but you want an emacs guru
apparently.
Peter
------------------------------
From: leilabd@syma.sussex.ac.uk (Leila Burrell-Davis)
Subject: Re: One handed UNIX, Emacs for disabled person?
Organization: Computing Service, University of Sussex, UK
In reply to the query:
> Hello. Has anybody got ideas for using mainframe UNIX or computers in
> general for a disabled person with use of only the right hand?
pepke@gw.scri.fsu.edu (Eric Pepke) writes:
>
> I remember from the early days of microcomputers, when real programmers
> used toggle switches and keyboards were outrageously expensive, there was
> a one-handed ASCII keyboard. It was a sphere with four finger buttons and
> eight thumb buttons. One was supposed to play a chord with the fingers,
> giving eight bits, and then press one of the thumb buttons, giving three
> more. It was attractive to a lot of people because the small number of
> moving parts made it cheap.
There is/was a device available in the UK (and maybe elsewhere)
called a MicroWriter. It's actually a computer with built in word
processing software, a tiny LCD display and a serial port. The
keyboard is laid out in a hand shape, with one key for each finger
and two for the thumb, and characters are input by pressing chords.
The pattern of chords is quite easy to learn as it bears a
relationship to the shape of the characters.
The machine can be used as a standalone word processor, after a
fashion, or else used to input data which can later be transferred
to another machine (very handy to use on the train). In addition,
I've heard of it being used as an alternative input device to the
BBC Micro (once ubiquitous in UK schools), so it might be possible
to connect it to a terminal or PC type machine.
I don't know if the MicroWriter is still available, but if anyone is
interested, email me and I'll have a hunt around for the name of the
company.
Leila
- --
Leila Burrell-Davis, Computing Service, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK
Tel: +44 273 678390 Fax: +44 273 678470
Email: leilabd@syma.sussex.ac.uk (JANET: leilabd@uk.ac.sussex.syma)
------------------------------
From: David Curtin <TSARS@uga.cc.uga.edu>
I have a friend who suffered multiple strokes in College, and has been using
a device called the AGENDA from England. It is made by Microwriter Systems
in Mitcham Surrey, England. It has a full keypad and also five buttons for
use as a "Chord", so you can produce any keystroke from the keyboard with one
hand. It also comes with software for MS-DOS or the Macintosh to allow it to
plug into a serial port as a keyboard replacement. If you need more information
let me know- The friend I mentioned is a distributor of the Agenda now(as of
last week).
------------------------------
From: SMITC@ches.cs.vims.edu
Subject: MySystem
>I imagine you are using sort of morse code... naa... regular keyboard,
>just cpas-lock style modifications? Please dont spend over 2 lines
>describing it, as this is for my own curiosity rather than helping the
>disabled person i mentioned.
Right. HP BIOS has a) keyboard interrupt service routine
(procedure) that catches keypresses (by key number). I sometimes
(for special emulation maps like emacs ctrl-x, esc, ...) I directly issue
a character (sequence, ... switch) to serial out, or use b) the
keyboard translator routine (procedure) that checks caps lock toggle
value, checks shift & control keys (I sometimes use weights for
these) for press (they don't send anything by themselves, just AND
to other keys. I use caps lock to shift-toggle basic keyboard, leaving
number pad for 0-9, algebraic, (), ... as is, so I can always get
them regardless of caps lock position.
Emacs on Prime has facility to issue commands, start phantom
proceses without leaving editor too.
Craig
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
: Craig L. Smith : (804) 642-7246 : Internet : smitc@ches.cs.vims.edu:
: Div. of Chemistry and Toxicology :
: Virginia Institute of Marine Science / College of William and Mary :
: Gloucester Point, VA 23062 :
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
------------------------------
From: hugh_davies.wgc1@rx.xerox.com
Subject: One handed UNIX
Dan,
In article <DANJ1.91Mar28132419@cbnewse.ATT.COM> Dan_Jacobson@ATT.COM
writes:
> Hello. Has anybody got ideas for using mainframe UNIX or computers in
> general for a disabled person with use of only the right hand?
Have you come across the "Microwriter"? It's a "keyboard" that has 5 keys, one
for each finger of one hand (the right one, I think, but that's OK.)
You make characters by chording the keys, i.e. pressing two or three at once.
I don't know much more about it, I'm afraid. I do know they make a pocket
machine that has both a tiny QWERTY and a microwriter keyboard. I got sent some
bumph for it recently, but filed it in the bin, as usual.
Hugh.
- ------------------------------------------------------
"The thought of dentists gave him the same sick horror as the thought of
Socialism".
H.G. Wells. (1866-1946). British writer. (Bealby, Pt.VIII, Ch.1)
------------------------------
Subject: One handed UNIX for disabled person?
Dan,
I work in the System Engineering group for the 730+
terminal and saw your note. For those who probably don't
know the 730+ has a little advertised feature of
"keyboard-as-a-mouse" this will allow the user to do the
same function on the keyboard instead of always using the mouse.
This could make it easier for a one handed person using
the terminal not to always grab the mouse. By the way
this is a good feature when you mouse is broken.
Steve Crawford
att!ihlpy!smc
708-713-1170
------------------------------
From: hugh_davies.wgc1@rx.xerox.com
Subject: One handed terminals - more on the Microwriter Agenda.
Dan,
I now have the address for Microwriter who make a one-handed "keyboard";
Microwriter Ltd.,
2 Wandle Way,
Mitcham,
Surrey,
CR4 9AR
England.
Phone; +44 81 685 0300
Fax; +44 81 640 8813
Regards,
Hugh.
- ------------------------------------------------------
"We've got to believe in free will. We've got no choice."
Isaac Bashevis Singer (1904- ). Polish-born US writer.
------- End of digest -------darragh@cpsc.ucalgary.ca (John Darragh) (05/14/91)
Index Number: 15550 I've been typing with one hand for 11 years and have looked at several options. The best by far is a PCD Maltron one-handed ergonomic keyboard from England. The keyboard and parallel/serial convertor are about $600. I've used one for years to access Unix hosts using a simple T cable that splices it into my terminal's serial line. This works great. (Anyone know of a good RS-232 to Apple Data Bus convertor so I can use it with my MAC? I know about T-TAM.) This is a full ascii keyboard which places several keys under the thumb. I made a minor modification to the keyboard to accomodate two foot switches to make it faster and easier to select the shift, numeric, and control keys. I am sure that the Maltron people would install the jacks for you when you order, then all you'd need to do is buy the switches and you're in business. It's much better than any of the chorded keyboards out there, and it's easy to learn. The number to call is (UK) 01-398-3265 or write: PCD Maltron Ltd., 15, Orchard Lane, East Molesey, Surrey, England KT8 0BN There are also specialized typing methods that use standard keyboards which no one has mentioned yet. Any good Occupational Therapy department should be able to help. I have photocopies of parts of two books from a local OT dept. which gave special techniques for all possible permutations of fingers. One of the greatest helps for one-handed typing is my predictive program called The Reactive Keyboard which does a lot of typing for you (see Darragh et al., IEEE Computer, Nov. 1990). You can get it via anonymous ftp from fsa.cpsc.ucalgary.ca (136.159.2.1). The shared and compressed Unix source code is in pub/the.reactive.keyboard/unix. There is also a scaled down version for the IBM-PC and a demo version for the MAC, both in source and object form. They are in /pc and /mac respectively. The Reactive Keyboard is really helpful for anyone with difficulty typing. Several people with C.P., spinal cord injuries and neuromuscular disorders use RK-unix and rave about it. If you are impaired in any way, and are using or have tried RK, please send me some email and let me know what you think. For the curious, check the April issue of Interacting with Computers for a paper describing our predictive system in more detail than the IEEE paper. There is also a new book about it in press called, what else? "The Reactive Keyboard." It's being published by Cambridge University Press as part of their human computer interface series. I trust this is helpful. John darragh@cpsc.ucalgary.ca