Life With ALS.com
+ Diagnosed Aug 2005
+ Bipap March 2007
+ PEG July 2007
+ Trache and Vent July 2008
Still Living, Loving & Laughing
This is a critical part of my life. The ability to continue to use my computer is essential for my sanity!
Thankfully there are many technological devices to make this possible.
The first and most important thing I found to help with this is a program called Dasher. It has literally made my life tolerable by allowing me to keep corresponding with people without needing to type. It is a free program and only needs you to be able to use a mouse, either a regular mouse or a headmouse. After getting used to it I can type almost as fast as I could before ALS.
The second thing I found useful was a Microsoft wireless optical mouse 2000. The reason this one worked so well was because the actuator buttons go all the way down the front of the mouse. This allowed me to drag my fingers along the mouse pad and still be able to actuate the buttons. No other mouse I tried allowed me to do this. But, I can no longer activate the mouse buttons, see below.
The third thing was the headmouse, provided by the ALS Association. It is a Headmouse Extreme by Origin Instruments Corporation. It works by placing a camera, much like a webcam, on top of your monitor and placing a reflective dot on your forehead. The camera tracks the movement of the dot and works just like a mouse. You also have a big button switch that you use to activate the left clicking function. This has been a life saver as I can still use my computer with some semblance of proficiency. If it was not for these items I would not be able to build this website.
On a good day I can still use a mouse for pointing so we have disabled the buttons and I use a Swifty and a large button switch to do the clicking.
The button switch can be activated by any part of your body that still has movement. The switch is placed under my left hand almost at my wrist so I can flex my wrist and activate it. My elbow has to be elevated by the armrest on the wheelchair. We use a $10.00 lazer mouse (Logitech M-BT58) and have taken it apart and cut the traces on the circuit board to disable the buttons. Even though I have no movement in my right hand and can’t lift it or move my fingers once someone places my hand on the mouse I can move it enough to use it. My hand (palm) has to be moistened then placed on the mouse, the moisture makes my hand “stick”. The armrest has to be lowered so it does not restrict arm movement. The mouse is set on the fastest setting so not much movement is necessary. Actually, it has to move less than 1 inch (2.5 cm).
We have a table that sits on my lap and wraps around my waist. My button switch and mouse sit on it.
For more information about using a computer and how to deal
with losing your voice, see here.
Updated: Nov 10, 2010
