Vocal Joystick/Mouse 10 Oct 2008

Assistive technologies are awesome! Check out this incredible Vocal Joystick - a device that lets disabled users position their mouse cursor via audio cues. DVICE provides more information about how it works:

"Say 'ahh' and the cursor zips toward the northeast corner of the computer screen. 'Ooo' sends it shooting straight south. Want it to head southeast? Say 'ohh.' To make the cursor do a circle or figure 8, let vowel sounds bleed into one another, like eee into ahh into aww and so on. You can make it hurry or slow by regulating the volume of your voice. To open a link, make a soft clicking sound."

Researchers say that the learning curve is steep; however, once mastered, the device provides users with just as much control as that afforded to people using a traditional mouse.

[via OhGizmo!]