The AAL CapMouse project has reached the mid term. The development of the CapMouse and its integration with the Octopus (the mobile device) continues.
The Octopus is ready for market release. It will be a hub in the life om the disabled users of Permobil wheelchairs and handicap aid products. The CapMouse human interface will be an alternative to standard input devices for a diversity of user groups, including the elderly, to control the smart central unit - i.e the Octopus - truly hands free. The development began ten years ago with focus on the mobility of the tongue and the means of registration of the movements by different technologies.
The development from ultra sound transducers and microphones to capacitive sensors has been a long, advanced and patented technological achievement that, in the current AAL project, will be finished and result in a working prototype according to the user requirements collected and documented at the testing workshops. The Consortium has had a series of productive workshops. Together with PRO the end user requirements have been analyzed, and “personas” have emerged with different sets of requirements. From the end user perspective the prototypes have been developed, tested and thus focused on two models of headsets now ready for further refinement.
HMC has constructed an abstraction layer for the integration of the CapMouse with the Octopus.
Brusell Dental has constructed an in house digital capacitive sensor and is constructing a set of analog sensors to meet the demands of HMC. Two products will be the possible result of the project – one type of headsets with analogue sensors controlling the Octopus. Already with 2 sensors there are 9 different commands possible and with further software coding its possible to replace all other input devices for the control of the Octopus and thus all levels of ICT (Information Communication Technologies).
The other product is a cost effective headset with the digital sensor connected directly to the PC/Mac for hands free click, double click and a third optional command.
The end user perspective is prioritized in this application and continued testing sessions are executed together with PRO-members.
The industrialisation and commercialisation of the CapMouse project result will start up as soon as the integration of the CapMouse input device with the Octopus is finished and the CapMouse Clicker is refined in end user testings and made ready for the market.
