The present invention provides for an enhanced mouthstick device that
allows. disabled individuals, having limited or no use of their hands, to
independently, effectively and efficiently simulate computer mouse
manipulation and input data in computer software applications. The present
invention also allows disabled individuals, having limited or no use of
their hands, to effectively utilize standard, commercially available,
off-the-shelf GUI or windows-based software applications without requiring
modification to the actual software application. The invention is
comprised of three functional components mounted on a traditional
mouthstick and a reception unit which is fitted to a computer display
screen. The user manipulates the position of the cursor on the display
screen by moving the StickMouse towards the desired position on the
display screen. A signal transmitter unit transmits constant position
signals which are received by the sensors on the reception unit. The
reception unit calculates the location of the signal transmitter unit and
converts the position coordinates into a serial bit stream which is
transferred to the computer for display on the display screen.
When the user wishes to perform a mouse button command input, the user
utilizes the sip-and-puff procedures to trigger a pressure transducer
which converts the user-induced, pneumatic signal into an electrical
signal which is relayed to a signal. transmitter unit. The signal
transmitter unit transmits the mouse button command signal to sensors on
the reception unit where it is converted into a serial bit stream and
transferred to the computer for execution
