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DaGurggles t1_j5w235v wrote

Reply to comment by _Skyhopper_ in An ALS patient set a record for communicating via a brain implant: 62 words per minute by esprit-de-lescalier

With my father we got an IR camera that could track his heads movement to use a computer mouse.

I attached a laser pointer to a pair of safety glasses and printed out a QWERTY keyboard for him to spell out his thoughts.

Both worked for a time. Fuck ALS

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picklesin t1_j5wbyma wrote

Genius ideas. Fuck ALS, sorry about your father.

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DaGurggles t1_j5wcsev wrote

Thanks.

I did make a mouse that he could use his feet with but….ALS made my project moot

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Undrende_fremdeles t1_j5ybz4g wrote

So... You could likely pass that knowledge on to others that are not as far progressed, or even have pyuer disabilities that affect their motor skills?

The internet is an amazing bridge between the random people that would otherwise never come across each other in real life.

I really, truly believe that your efforts could benefit others even if it didn't manage to help him in time.

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DaGurggles t1_j5yv65a wrote

You’re not wrong, I abandoned the he project to keep up with the change in his symptoms.

On a basic level I took apart a USB laser mouse, $20 Logitech, and extended the connections of the left and right clicks with a bit of 22 gauge wire. The sensor was flipped up and with a smooth slipper would act as a mouse pad mimicking the motion of movement.

Back in 2010 there wasn’t much on the market that was affordable. The best I saw was a roller ball that could be manipulated with the tongue. Now you can get a foot mouse for $80, but back then the cheapest I could find was $250

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