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Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 8/7/84; site ucbvax.ARPA
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!ucbvax!dcmartin
From: dcmartin@ucbvax.ARPA (David C. Martin)
Newsgroups: fa.info-mac
Subject: Re: Keyboard: 2 limbs, Mouse: 1 limb < Humans: 4 limbs
Message-ID: <3758@ucbvax.ARPA>
Date: Tue, 11-Dec-84 15:46:55 EST
Article-I.D.: ucbvax.3758
Posted: Tue Dec 11 15:46:55 1984
Date-Received: Wed, 12-Dec-84 06:01:10 EST
References: <2398@uw-beaver>
Reply-To: dcmartin@ucbvax.UUCP (David C. Martin)
Organization: University of California at Berkeley
Lines: 24
Summary: 

In article <2398@uw-beaver> info-mac@uw-beaver (info-mac) writes:
>From: TIM%MIT-OZ@MIT-MC.ARPA
>It is difficult to takes sides in this ongoing keyboard vs. mouse
>debate, but we all seem to agree that there are sometimes when you
>want both, but we only have two hands.  Has anyone done research on
>the ergonomics of a foot operated mouse which would roll around on the
>floor, or combining a keyboard and a mouse in one piece which would
>slide around on the table?  
>
>For a foot mouse to work best, it might be desirabled to have a
>special curved surface to roll the mouse on (perhaps with the
>dimensions and curvature of organ pedals).  Of course if the surface
>were curved you might want to tie the mice to your feet so they don't
>slide down hill.
>
>While we're at it, how about one mouse for each foot?  This way you
>could easily specify a rectangle by having the left foot specify the
>upper left corner and the right foot specify the lower right.

Xerox has done a significant amount of research based on mice controlled
by other extremities.  Both feet and knees were considered, but discarded
as either too strenous or not exact enough.  Now the real trick would
be an optically controlled ``mouse''.  Airlines use vision tracing systems
to lay out cockpits, why not do it for a $2500.00 computer :-).