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Dave
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 Posted: Thu Oct 28, 2004 8:02 pm Post subject: New Hardware Advances? |
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an a r t i c l e f r o m t h e N e w Y o r k T i m e s t a l k in g a b o u t n e w w a y s t o m o u s e
[ b ] A N e w R u l e o f C u r s o r C on t r o l : J u s t F o l l o w Y o u r N o s e
B y I A N A U S T E N [ b ]
P u b l i s h e d : O c t o b e r 2 8 , 2 0 0 4
U S I N G y o u r n o s e t o m o v e t h e c u r s o r on a c o m p u t e r s c r e en i s n o t t h e k in d o f i d e a t h a t j u s t p o p s in t o y o u r h e a d .
" I t d i dn ' t o c c u r t o m e in t h e m i d d l e o f t h e n i g h t , " a d m i t t e d D r . D m i t r y O . G o r o dn i c h y , a c o m p u t e r v i s i on s c i en t i s t w i t h t h e N a t i on a l R e s e a r c h C o un c i l o f C an a d a in O t t a w a . R a t h e r , D r . G o r o dn i c h y ' s c a m e r a an d s o f t w a r e s y s t e m , w h i c h c on t r o l s a c o m p u t e r b y t r a c k in g t h e m o v e m en t o f t h e n o s e , h a d i t s o r i g in s in a c on t r i b u t i on t o t h e A m e r i c an s p a c e p r o g r a m .
T h e n o u s e , a s h e c a l l s h i s s y s t e m , i s a m on g t h e l a t e s t in c u r s o r - c on t r o l m e t h o d s d e s i gn e d t o r e p l a c e t h e h an d - o p e r a t e d m o u s e . M o s t o f t h e s e s y s t e m s , w h i c h a r e g en e r a l l y in t en d e d f o r d i s a b l e d p e o p l e , t r a c k h e a d m o v e m en t s , an d o f t en r e q u i r e t h a t t h e u s e r w e a r h e a d g e a r o r a t t a c h a m a r k e r t o t h e f a c e . T h e n o u s e an d an o t h e r m e t h o d t h a t r e l i e s on t on g u e m o v e m en t s in s i d e t h e m o u t h r e p r e s en t a t t e m p t s t o m a k e s u c h s y s t e m s s i m p l e r an d m o r e u s e f u l .
" I t ' s n o t t o r e p l a c e t h e m o u s e , " D r . G o r o dn i c h y s a i d o f h i s in v en t i on . " I t ' s t o a d d e x t r a f e a t u r e s t o t h e c o m p u t e r . "
D r . G o r o dn i c h y ' s w o r k on v i s u a l r e c o gn i t i on o f b o d y m o t i on g o e s b a c k t o h i s d a y s w o r k in g on u p g r a d in g t h e r o b o t i c l i f t in g a r m u s e d in t h e s p a c e s h u t t l e . H e w a s on e o f m an y s c i en t i s t s a t t h e r e s e a r c h c o un c i l w h o h a d w o r k e d on t h a t p r o j e c t , w h i c h w a s C an a d i an d e s i gn e d an d b u i l t .
R e s e a r c h e r s h a d a l r e a d y e x p l o r e d t h e p o s s i b i l i t y o f t r a c k in g f a c i a l m o v e m en t s , b u t D r . G o r o dn i c h y s a i d t h e i r s y s t e m s a l l s u f f e r e d f r o m l i m i t a t i on s . S o m e r e s e a r c h e r s h a d o p t i m i s t i c a l l y a s s u m e d t h a t u s e r s c o u l d k e e p t h e i r f a c e s s t i l l w h en u s in g c o m p u t e r s . An d t h e s y s t e m s d e v e l o p e d b y o t h e r s w e r e l i m i t e d a l s o . F o r e x a m p l e , t h e y c o u l d on l y r e c o gn i z e w h e t h e r a u s e r w a s s h a k in g h i s h e a d f r o m s i d e t o s i d e o r n o d d in g .
In i t i a l l y , D r . G o r o dn i c h y s a i d , h i s g r o u p t r i e d t o u s e a p a i r o f c a m e r a s t o c r e a t e a 3 - D i m a g e o f t h e f a c e , t h in k in g t h a t w o u l d m a k e i t e a s i e r t o t r a c k f a c i a l e l e m en t s . B u t a l i gn in g i m a g e s f r o m t w o c a m e r a s , h e s a i d , s e e m e d an e x c e s s i v e l y f u s s y p r o c e d u r e f o r m o s t u s e r s . A s a r e s u l t , t h e y c on c en t r a t e d on u s in g on e c a m e r a , a b a s i c c o m p u t e r W e b c a m c o s t in g a b o u t $ 2 5 .
M an y f a c e - r e c o gn i t i on s y s t e m s m a k e u s e o f t h e e y e s , b u t D r . G o r o dn i c h y s a i d i t b e c a m e a p p a r en t e a r l y on t h a t t h e n o s e h a d m u c h m o r e g o in g f o r i t , a t l e a s t f r o m a c o m p u t e r v i s i on s t an d p o in t .
T o b e g in w i t h , D r . G o r o dn i c h y s a i d , " t h e n o s e i s l o c a t e d v e r y c on v en i en t l y in t h e m i d d l e o f t h e f a c e . " A d d in g t o i t s c h a r m s i s t h e f a c t t h a t un l i k e , s a y , t h e e y e b r o w s , t h e p o s i t i on o f i t s t i p i sn ' t s i gn i f i c an t l y a l t e r e d b y t i l t in g t h e h e a d . U l t i m a t e l y i t p r o v e d r e l a t i v e l y s i m p l e t o w r i t e s o f t w a r e t h a t t r a c k e d t h e n o s e w i t h p r e c i s i on , d e s p i t e t h e r e s o l u t i on l i m i t a t i on s o f t h e b a r g a in W e b c a m .
T h e C an a d i an r e s e a r c h e r s r e j e c t e d u s in g e y e s a s t h e i r m a r k e r f a c i a l f e a t u r e , b u t t h e y d i d n o t c o m p l e t e l y i gn o r e t h e m . T o a v o i d d r i v in g u s e r s t o d i s t r a c t i on a s t h e c u r s o r j u m p s a r o un d e v e r y t i m e t h e y m o v e t h e i r h e a d , t h e n o u s e i s t u rn e d o f f o r on w h en e v e r t h e s o f t w a r e d e t e c t s a d o u b l e b l in k , m u c h l i k e t h e d o u b l e - c l i c k o f a c on v en t i on a l m o u s e . B u t r a t h e r t h an f in d in g t h e e y e s f i r s t , t h e s y s t e m f in d s t h e e y e s b y l o c a t in g t h e n o s e . " On c e i t f in d s t h e n o s e , i t b e c o m e s q u i t e t r i v i a l t o l o c a t e t h e e y e s , " D r . G o r o dn i c h y s a i d .
D r . G o r o dn i c h y h a s e x p e r i m en t e d w i t h a d d in g b l in k s f o r a d d i t i on a l f un c t i on s - t h e n o u s e v e r s i on o f t h e r i g h t - c l i c k . B u t , s o f a r a t l e a s t , w in k in g i s o u t .
" I ' m n o t v e r y g o o d a t w in k in g , an d i t ' s j u s t v e r y c on v en i en t t o b l in k s e v e r a l t i m e s , " D r . G o r o dn i c h y s a i d .
U s in g t h e n o u s e t o p l a y a c o m p u t e r g a m e in h i s l a b , D r . G o r o dn i c h y s t i l l u s e s t h e k e y b o a r d f o r s o m e f un c t i on s . D u r in g p l a y , h i s h e a d m o v e m en t s a r e c on s t r a in e d , a t l e a s t in c on t r a s t t o t h e on - s c r e en a c t i on . " I t t a k e s s o m e p r a c t i c e , " h e a c kn o w l e d g e d .
T h e f in a l d e t a i l s h a v e y e t t o b e r e s o l v e d , b u t D r . G o r o dn i c h y s a i d i t a p p e a r e d t h a t t h e f i r s t a p p l i c a t i on o f h i s n o u s e s y s t e m w o u l d b e in a s y s t e m f o r h o s p i t a l p a t i en t s w h o a r e l a r g e l y p a r a l y z e d . W i t h t h e s o f t w a r e an d an a p p r o p r i a t e c a m e r a , h e s a i d , t h e y s h o u l d b e a b l e t o s u m m on h e l p t o t h e i r b e d s i d e s b y d o u b l e - b l in k in g t h e i r e y e s .
T h in k - A - M o v e , a c o m p an y in B e a c h w o o d , O h i o , i s a l s o a i m in g a t t h e m e d i c a l m a r k e t . T h i s m on t h i t l i c en s e d i t s t on g u e - t r a c k in g t e c hn o l o g y t o S w i t c h - I t , a m a k e r o f m o t o r i z e d w h e e l c h a i r c on t r o l s y s t e m s in H o u s t on .
J i m W e s t , t h e c h i e f e x e c u t i v e o f T h in k - A - M o v e an d t h e f o r m e r c h i e f in f o r m a t i on o f f i c e r a t U . S . C e l l u l a r , w a s a p p r o a c h e d t o b e a f in an c i a l b a c k e r o f t h e c o m p an y . A f t e r h e a r in g t h a t i t w a s t r y in g t o c on t r o l c o m p u t e r s t h r o u g h t on g u e m o v e m en t s an d t h e a u d i o c h an g e s t h e y m a k e in t h e e a r c an a l , h e w a s n o t in i t i a l l y i m p r e s s e d .
" I t s o un d e d a l i t t l e s c i en c e f i c t i on - y , " h e r e c a l l e d . " I s a i d , ' I d on ' t t h in k s o . ' "
B u t a f t e r a d e m on s t r a t i on an d a f t e r m e e t in g w i t h r e s e a r c h e r s , t h e c o m p an y p e r s u a d e d M r . W e s t n o t on l y t o p u t u p m on e y b u t t o j o in i t s m an a g e m en t .
P e o p l e t h in k o f t h e e a r a s s o m e t h in g t h a t b r in g s s i gn a l s f r o m t h e o u t s i d e in t o t h e b o d y , b u t M r . W e s t s a i d t h e e a r - m o r e p r e c i s e l y , t h e e a r c an a l - a l s o e f f e c t i v e l y b r o a d c a s t s w h a t ' s h a p p en in g in s i d e t h e b o d y . M o v in g t h e t on g u e a r o un d t h e m o u t h , f o r e x a m p l e , s u b t l y a l t e r s a i r p r e s s u r e in t h e e a r c an a l an d s e t s u p v i b r a t i on s in t h e j a w b on e , w h i c h a l s o m a k e t h e i r w a y t o t h e e a r .
T h o s e s i gn a l s , o f c o u r s e , a r e v e r y f a in t . T o p i c k t h e m u p , T h in k - A - M o v e u s e r s in s e r t w h a t a m o un t s t o a r e v e r s e h e a r in g a i d . I t s m i c r o p h on e m e a s u r e s s o un d s in s i d e t h e e a r c an a l an d t r an s m i t s t h e m t o a c o m p u t e r o r an o t h e r e l e c t r on i c d e v i c e u s in g a B l u e t o o t h w i r e l e s s c on n e c t i on .
In t h e c a s e o f t h e w h e e l c h a i r , T h in k - A - M o v e an d S w i t c h - I t h o p e t o r e p l a c e c on t r o l l e r s t h a t r e l y on b r e a t h s i gn a l s . B u t in a l l a p p l i c a t i on s , M r . W e s t s a i d , u s e r s m u s t t r a in t h e s o f t w a r e in t h e s a m e w a y v o i c e r e c o gn i t i on p r o g r a m s a r e t r a in e d . T h a t g en e r a l l y in v o l v e s r e p e a t in g a m o t i on ( t o u c h in g t h e t on g u e t o a m o l a r , f o r e x a m p l e ) an d a s s i gn in g i t a f un c t i on ( l i k e "n e x t p a g e " ) .
M r . W e s t s a i d f a t i g u e d i d n o t a f f e c t t h e s y s t e m ' s p e r f o r m an c e , b u t h e a c kn o w l e d g e d t h a t u s e r s m u s t b e c a r e f u l t o a v o i d t on g u e m o v e m en t s t h e y m a k e a l m o s t un c on s c i o u s l y t h r o u g h o u t t h e d a y .
" I d on ' t u s u a l l y f l i c k m y t on g u e t o m y r e a r b a c k m o l a r , " M r . W e s t s a i d . " A b a d m o v e f o r m e w o u l d b e d e p r e s s in g t h e t on g u e a g a in s t m y l o w e r f r on t t e e t h . "
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TOYOTA PRIUS: Driving the Future of Technology Today. |
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Dozza
Ensign
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| Posted: Sat Dec 25, 2004 10:19 am Post subject: |
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H m m m m . .n e v e r t h o u g h t o f t h a t . t h o u on l y g o o d f o r d i s a b l e d p p l o r p p l w i t h o u t a r m s . . .n o r m a l p p l w o u l d n t u s e a t m o v in g y o u r h e a d a r o un d f o r h o u r s an d w in k in g t o c l i c k c an g e t in a b a d h a b i t a f t e r a w h i l e . . . y o u w o u l d b e b l in k in g d o wn t h e s t r e e t . . : f o c u s :
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Dave
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Posts: 311
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| Posted: Sat Dec 25, 2004 11:45 am Post subject: |
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n o t q u i t e t r u e .
n o r m a l p e o p l e in n o t - q u i t e - s o -n o r m a l j o b s m i g h t u s e i t . t h e r e w e r e o p e r a t o r s in s p e c i a l en v i r on m en t s ( on e w a s a v e r y l a r g e e a r t h m o v e r ) t h a t u s e d b o t h h an d s t o c on t r o l o t h e r o b j e c t s an d a p o in t e r w a s m o un t e d t o t h e i r h e a d s e t an d t h e c l i c k e r w a s on t h e h an d c on t r o l s u s in g a m o d i f i e d v e r s i on w i t h g r e a t s u c c e s s .
b e c a u s e t h e o p e r a t o r s h a d t o c o o r d in a t e w i t h o t h e r s v i a t h e v o i c e c on t r o l l e d h e a d s e t , v o i c e " c o m m an d an d c on t r o l " w a s n o t v e r y e f f e c t i v e an d c a u s e d s e v e r a l p r o b l e m s t h a t c o u l d h a v e en d an g e r e d l i v e s , s o i t w a s n e v e r r e a l l y a d d r e s s e d f u l l y .
m an y p e o p l e c o m m en t e d t h a t g r o w in g u p p l a y in g v i d e o g a m e s p r o v i d e d t h e m w i t h t h e t r a in in g t o p e r f o r m t h e i r j o b s m u c h b e t t e r .
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