Satellites and Tang aren't the only innovations the space
race has brought us. Ottawa scientist Dmitry Gorodnichy's work
on the Canadarm project was instrumental in the development of
the Nouse -- a hands-free alternative to the computer mouse
that aims to help people with physical disabilities or pain
brought on by excessive computer use.
The nose-steered mouse uses inexpensive webcam technology
along with Gorodnichy's software, developed at the Institute
for Information Technology, to track the movement of a
person's nose, which then controls the cursor on a computer
monitor. Blinking emulates left and right button clicks on a
traditional mouse and turns the Nouse on and off. The
33-year-old Kiev, Ukraine, native says he began thinking about
a solution to the current offering of ineffective keyboard and
mouse alternatives while building software tools to help
astronauts operate the Canadarm. People with limited upper
body mobility are a good fit for the Nouse, but the inventor
believes it will have broad appeal, especially among computer
users suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome. He says many
interested companies have come knocking and hopes that, one
day, the Nouse will come standard with new computers. Now,
whether you'll actually want to spend your work day wiggling
your nose and blinking your eyes is a different
story.
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by Rogers Media Inc. May not be reprinted or republished
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