Newsgroups: comp.human-factors
Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!prisoner
From: prisoner@aix01.aix.rpi.edu (Allen S. Firstenberg)
Subject: Re: Look Ma, no hands.
Message-ID: <lm=l5ar@rpi.edu>
Nntp-Posting-Host: aix01srv.aix.rpi.edu
References: <1991Jun21.024048.17488@msb.com>
Date: 21 Jun 91 18:16:02 GMT
Lines: 20

dave@msb.com (Dave Lockwood) writes:

>Has anyone ever tried a pointing device (i.e. mouse) operated by foot?  This
>might be the answer for word processing...users could use the "foot-mouse"
>to move the cursor, and mark text, while keeping hands on the keyboard.

I've never used one, but I did see a video of an experimental one made by
Engelbart and his team in the 1960s.  They abandoned it in favor of the
mouse (which they also designed) because the mouse/chordset was easer to use.

>If the mechanical hurdles of dirt, and durability could be overcome, the
>device would be fairly simple and inexpensive to produce.

Yes, but it might be a pain to operate.  (Of course, I think the mouse is a
pain to operate... but...)
-- 
UID = 5553,  CCID = F8PG,   ID = 6      I am just a number
prisoner@rpi.edu                        "refs unpersons"
prisoner@acm.rpi.edu                             --- 1984
prisoner@rpitsmts.bitnet
