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London (pte025/14.03.2005/12:15) - A special adaptor that helps people hindered by hand tremors control a computer mouse more easily has been developed. As the BBC http://www.bbc.co.uk reports, the device uses "steady cam" technology found in camcorders to filter out shaking hand movements. People with hand tremors find it difficult to do simple tasks on computers with conventional mice due to the erratic movements of the cursor on the screen. Most commonly associated with tremors is Parkinson's disease, but they can also be caused by other conditions like Essential Tremor (ET). Tremors more often affect older people, but can hit all ages. ET, for example, is genetic and can afflict people throughout their lives.
The Assistive Mouse Adapter (AMA) is the brainchild of IBM researcher Jim Levine, who developed the prototype after seeing his uncle, who has Parkinson's disease, struggle to control the mouse. "I knew that there must be a way to improve the situation for him and the millions of other tremor sufferers around the world, including the elderly," said Levine. "The number of elderly computer users will increase as the population ages, and at the same time, the need for computer access grows," he added.
Computer users can plug the device into a PC, and it can be adjusted depending on how severe the tremor is. It is also able to recognise multiple clicking on a mouse button caused by shaky digits. According to IBM, it will partner up with a small UK-based electronics firm, Montrose Secam, to produce the devices, which will cost around 70 pounds (100 euros). According to the UK National Tremor Foundation (NTF) http://www.tremor.org.uk , around three million Brits have some sort of hand tremor condition. "Using a computer mouse is well known for being extremely hard for people with tremors, so we're delighted to hear that a technology has been developed to address this problem," said Karen Walsh, from the NTF.
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