ATMac

For users whose main method of computer interaction is via a mouse or other pointing device. These users generally use an on-screen keyboard or dictation software for inputting text.

Allison Greene is quadriplegic due to multiple sclerosis (MS) and must spend much of her day in bed. Bill Greene has ingeniously adapted his wife’s Mac-based computer system to allow her to use it either from her wheelchair or while in bed.

Proloquq2Go, the groundbreaking Alternative & Augmentative Communication (AAC) program for Apple’s iPhone and iPod touch is now available at the iTunes App store.

For most people, dictation results in better structured and more creative writing of letters, essays etc. than either handwriting or typing out your own thoughts. Learn the principles of excellent dictation from somebody who’s dictated documents professionally for nearly fifty years.

Kati has written about her search for assistive technology to help her do as much as she is able with her progressive ataxia. She has settled on an iMac based system with a joystick and KeyStrokes software which enables her to do all the things she wants - including make provisions for possible future disability.

Power’s what assistive technology gives us, really. The power to communicate, to read, to type, to plan, to play, to control things. The power to achieve things that we couldn’t otherwise achieve. Here are some ideas for gifts to empower assistive technology users.

Mage Software has released version 2.0 of their inkBook program which takes advantage of OS X’s InkWell handwriting recognition technology to let you search, copy, and export notes handwritten with a tablet and stylus.

Did you know that Mac OS X comes with a built in handwriting recognition system known as InkWell. If you have a pen and tablet for input, you can use it right away with no set-up needed! It’s known to be quirky and hasn’t been updated for a while, but Apple recently advertised for a handwriting engineer so there’s hope yet!

An Air Mouse is one you can hold in your hand and move around. This type of mouse moves the mouse cursor in response to the left/right and up/down movement of your hand holding the mouse. The Air Mouse application for the iPhone and iPod Touch turns your gadget into one of these types of mice.

You probably click your mouse hundreds of times a day, thousands of times a week. ClickNoMo lets you rest your tendons while you continue to work and get things done by automatically clicking the mouse for you when you bring the mouse to a short stop in any one position. You can select left mouse click, right mouse click, double click, or even click-and-drag, as you need to.

Drew is five and has SMA. He uses SmartNav to access his computer, using a switch for mouse clicks and moving his hand - with a reflective ring on it - to move the mouse pointer.