HEADMOUSE: A HEAD DIRECTION USER-COMPUTER INTERFACE

HEADMOUSE IS AN INEXPENSIVE MICROPROCESSOR-CONTROLLED INFRARED-LIGHT-BASED SYSTEM THAT INDICATES HEAD POSITION IN REAL-TIME, SO AS TO ENABLE A COMPUTER USER TO CONTROL CURSOR MOVEMENT ON A COMPUTER DISPLAY BY HEAD MOVEMENT WITHOUT ANY HEAD CONSTRAINTS OR HEAD MOUNTED APPARATUS (GLASSES, HELMET, ETC.). BY ACTIVATING THE SYSTEM USING A DESIGNATED KEY ON A STANDARD KEYBOARD OR BY USING A FOOT-OPERATED OR OTHER KIND OF SWITCH OR SPECIAL HEAD MOTION, THE USER CAN POSITION THE CURSOR IN THE SAME MANNER AS THE CONVENTIONAL MOUSE BY CHANGING HEAD DIRECTION THEREBY ALLOWING USE OF PRESENTLY AVAILABLE SOFTWARE. SUCH A HEAD DIRECTION USER-COMPUTER INTERFACE SHOULD BE COMPETITIVE FOR THE GENERAL PERSONAL COMPUTER "MOUSE" MARKET, AND SHOULD HAVE SIGNIFICANT ADVANTAGES IN LAPTOP, DISABLED, ORIENTAL CHARACTER, ENTERTAINMENT, AND MILITARY NICHE MARKETS. IT COULD ALSO EASILY BE ADAPTED TO OPERATE AS A THREE-DIMENSIONAL HEADMOUSE.