CameraMouse Finally Available for Free!

As I mentioned the end of last school year Camera Mouse is now available for free from Boston College. All you need is a web cam and you are good to go! It is comparable to similar tracking software that runs hundreds to thousands of dollars. Free software for use with head trackers is also available.

Read my previous post for more information.

Free Software for Eye and Head Tracking

Boston College's Eagle Eye Program has available for download the following games and application for use with their or other Eye and Head Tracking programs:

Games
Aliens - shoot the aliens before they disappear
Blackjack - classic card game
Bug Sprayer - spray the bugs as they get bigger and bigger
Connect 4 - get four in a row before your opponent
DressMe - mix and match the doll's clothes
Eagle Paint - create a beautiful work of art
Matching Game - game of concentration
Othello - capture more colored discs than your opponent
Pong - virtual table tennis
Question Game - create your own multiple-choice quizzes
Tic Tac Toe - get three in a row

Spell and Speak
EE Onscreen Keyboard - keyboard utility that works with cut-and-paste and direct input
Midas Touch - modified keyboard designed for EE and CM
Rick Hoyt Speller - select each letter by its group
Staggered Speech - spell and speak utility

System
Applications Manual - description of useful applications
Chat Client - connect to talk and play with other EE and CM users
Eagle Scope - configuration utility for EE
EE Browser - web browser designed for EE and CM
EE Connect instructions - how to use the EE Connect program
EE Connect update - downloaded updated EE Connect files
EE CM Software Manual - discription of available software for CM

No word official word on when CameraMouse will be available for free download, but it should be any day now!

One of those days that remind you why you teach...

Yesterday I introduced two of my students to CameraMouse. Actually since CameraMouse will not be ready for trial for a month (see previous blog entry) I introduced them to Qualieye's free 30-day trial. Qualieye is similar enough to CameraMouse that when CameraMouse does come out for free in July I can switch them to that. I also installed some extra large cursors to make things easier for the students. Extra large cursors are available from a number of places including the ACE Centre.

Both students have degenerative neuromuscular diseases and little voluntary muscle control. The first student, an art lover, controlled the CameraMouse with her fist. To her delight (and mine) the camera focused in on the ring she received as a gift from a boy who likes her and it was the light reflecting off the ring that moved the mouse. This student used the CameraMouse, set to auto-click, with the free online Jackson Pollock painting program to create some beautiful art. She loved every minute of it.

Immediately after painting with CameraMouse the speech therapist saw her for a session and the student clicked through several layers on her Dynavox to go to the art page and ask the SLP to paint again. During her speech session the student used her Dynavox to dictate a note to me asking if she could do more painting. I, of course, let her.

My other student used her head to control the CameraMouse. It took us lots of playing with the settings to make it work for her. Using the Jackson Pollock program she enjoyed keeping the mouse still to change the color (usually to pink) and then painting a little before she changed the color again. She understood quickly how the auto-click worked and that staying still was the key to selection. A while later I tried her on the Little Fingers Balloon Game. Although this game is well below her cognitive and age level, she found it to be quite entertaining as she worked on controlling the CameraMouse enough to stay still over the small balloon that showed the letter she was looking for. After she popped four balloons, she turned to me, glowing with pride and said, "I am getting good at this!" For a young lady who has only ever lost ability because of her disease the joy in gaining an ability was obvious and heart warming.

Monday these students and I will spend some more time with CameraMouse. I am working on finding some fun and age appropriate games that are simple enough for beginners using CameraMouse. I plan to try some of the Reactive Colors activities.

After that much pride and accomplishment the day ended with our school prom, which is always thrilling. Days like this remind me why I choose this career.

Coming Soon Free CameraMouse!

Today I went to a great workshop presented by Maureen Gates from Boston College. She showed us a fantastic piece of software, actually many pieces of software, CameraMouse and games for CameraMouse. CameraMouse is software that interprets any movement in front of an off the shelf webcam to mouse movements. Although it is generally used as a head mouse, it can be used with any body part that can move in four directions (up, down, left, right).

CameraMouse was developed as a spin off of Eagle Eyes, which allows uses to move a mouse by amplifying the muscle movements of the eyes. (Eagle Eyes is available for free (provided evidence that a student can benefit) from the Opportunity Foundation.)

CameraMouse can be used with even the slightest movement, so slight that when set to the "extreme" level just looking where you want to mouse to go moves your head enough to move the mouse. For users with extraneous movements it can be set to allow more freedom. CameraMouse has a built in auto-click/dwell feature that eliminates the need for a switch or other method of clicking. You can also limit the window that CameraMouse moves around in so that the user doesn't accidentally close programs. All of these features are fully programmable.

When working with CameraMouse you are given plenty of games to teach everything from cause and effect to grade level academics. There are even special internet browsers and an online gaming program that allows users to compete in various CameraMouse and/or Eagle Eyes games.

CameraMouse is NOT available right this minute but BC will offer it free of charge (not just free for 30 days, free period) for download in about a month - keep checking here or there site for more info.

So if you are about to spend anywhere from $180 for a TrackIR to $400 for QualiEYE (practically the same as CameraMouse - I tried both) to $8,000 for an ERICA or TOBII you might want to wait a month!