IMPROVED FOOT CONTROLLER FOR PERSONAL COMPUTER

A "MOLE" IS A FOOT-CONTROLLED INPUT DEVICE FOR A COMPUTER, PARTICULARLY ONE CAPABLE OF SPECIFYING AN ON-SCREEN POSITION. THERE ARE SEVERAL SPECIFIC CIRCUMSTANCES IN WHICHA MOLE CAN FACILITATE COMPUTER ACCESS: (1) WHEN THE USER HASA PERMANENT HANDICAP OF THE UPPER BODY, BUT UNIMPAIRED LOWER BODY FUNCTIONALITY. SUCH HANDICAPS INCLUDE AMPUTATION, CONGENITAL DEFORMITY, ARTHRITIS, OR PARALYSIS; (2) WHEN THE USER HAS A TEMPORARY HANDICAP, E.G., A FRACTURE OR SPRAIN (FACILITY WITH THE MOLE IS ACQUIRED WITH JUST A LITTLE PRACTICE); AND (3) WHEN A TECHNICAL TASK REQUIRES THE USE OF BOTH HANDS, E.G., OPERATION OF A COMPUTER-CONTROLLED MICROSCOPE. MORE GENERALLY, A MOLE MAY BE USEFUL WHENEVER A LOCATIONAL DEVICE IS REQUIRED AS PART OF A MAN/MACHINE INTERFACE IN INDUSTRY, MEDICINE, SCIENCE, AND THE ARTS. WORK IS IN PROGRESS ON THE LATEST MOLE PROTOTYPE. IN PHASE I, IT IS PLANNED TO: (1) INTERFACE THE CURRENT PROTOTYPE TO THE IBM PC/XT/AT, INITIALLY AS AN EMULATOR OF AMOUSE; (2) DEMONSTRATE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THIS INTERFACINGIN A SPECIFIC SOFTWARE APPLICATION INVOLVING MANIPULATION OFON-SCREEN OBJECTS; AND (3) SPECIFY IMPROVEMENTS TO THE CURRENT PROTOTYPE THAT WOULD BE CARRIED OUT DURING PHASE II.