Human Computer Interface

HUMAN COMPUTER INTERFACE – A PORTABLE WIRELESS DEVICE FOR THE DISABLED

Abstract

Human-Computer Interface (HCI) is an important area of research and development for the disabled. A portable wireless Human-Computer Interface which can be used for the disabled, having motor paralysis or who cannot use their hands in multiple applications is described. A new mouse is proposed as an input device for computers/laptops. The operation of this mouse is based on measurements of rotations of the user’s head and detection of eye blinks Horizontal and vertical movement signals are measured using an accelerometer placed on a cap/helmet .The eye blink detector setup is placed about 1cm above the right eyebrow and 2cm below the lower lid of the right eye

The development of computers and internet has become a part of our daily schedule such as people even use them for shopping, banking communication and various other purposes. But unfortunately people with severe disabilities such as paralysis of their upper body portions cannot properly use computer input devices such as a keyboard or a mouse to operate a computer. Human–computer Interaction (HCI) consists of the study, planning, and development of the interaction between people and computers. It is often considered as the integration of electronics engineering, computer science, behavioral sciences, and several other fields of study. The term of HCI was popularized by Card, Moran, and Newell in their seminal 1983 book, "The Psychology of Human-Computer Interaction", although the authors first used the term in 1980, and the first known use was in 1975. The term implies that, unlike other tools with only limited uses (such as a hammer, useful for driving nails, but not much else), a computer has many affordances for use and this takes place in an open-ended dialog between the user and the

On the machine side, techniques in computer graphics, operating systems, programming languages, and development environments are significant. On the human side, communication theory, graphic and industrial design disciplines, linguistics, social sciences, cognitive psychology, and human psychology such as computer user satisfaction are significant. Engineering and design methods are also relevant to improvise the development of the device. Due to the multidisciplinary nature of HCI, people with different backgrounds can contribute to its success. HCI is also sometimes referred to as man-machine interaction (MMI) or computer-human interaction (CHI) in different situations. Attention to human-machine interaction is very important, because poorly designed human-machine interfaces can lead to many unexpected problems. A very good example of this is the Three Mile Island accident where investigations concluded that the design of the human-machine interface was least partially responsible for the