Comparison of Three Head-Controlled Mouse Emulators in Three Light Conditions

Abstract

Three infrared head-controlled mouse emulators (HeadMouse Extreme™, Tracker Pro™ and Tracker Inside™) were paired with an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) device (Pathfinder™) and tested for speed and accuracy in three different light conditions. Eleven participants tested the systems, entering a list of common statements used by AAC users. The Language Activity Monitor™ (LAM) recorded all selections made. The data were analyzed for error rate and selection rate. The results revealed that (a) in a single light condition, the different mouse emulators performed significantly differently from each other, (b) in general, a single mouse emulator performed consistently across all light conditions, and (c) the external mouse emulators performed better than the internal emulator, for speed and accuracy, in all light conditions.

Keywords:

• Access method
• AAC
• Head-controlled mouse emulator
• Error rate
• Selection rate
• Ambient IR light
• LAM

Notes

1The HeadMouse Extreme wireless computer access device is a registered trademark of Origin Instruments, Grand Prairie, Texas. See http://www.orin.com/access/headmouse/

2The Tracker Pro is a computer input device and a registered trademark of Madentec, located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. See http://www.madentec.com/products/tracker-pro.php

3The Tracker Inside is an internal IR Head Mouse of the Pathfinder, Prentke Romich Company.

4The Pathfinder is a registered trademark of the Prentke Romich Company, Wooster, Ohio. See http://www.prentrom.com/about

5The Language Activity Monitor is a recording component of the Pathfinder, Prentke Romich Company.

6The International Light IL1800 is a light measuring device for recording different wavelengths of light. http://photonics.bfioptilas.fr/objects/279_25_1798154129/internationallight.pdf