SensorBox 2nd prototype
The acceleration of text-input has two main starting points: A good prediction engine and a good input-system in combination with a good user interface. In the second year of the project early versions of the first prototype of the User Interface software (UI) were available as well as the first prototypes of the Pressure Sensitive Keyboard (PSK).
The FASTY system uses standard interfaces like keyboard interface, mouse interface, serial or parallel interfaces that humans use to enter data into a computer. The drivers to operate those interfaces are part of the particular used operating system. In addition to these drivers special purpose FASTY drivers are needed to achieve a consistent data format that serves as input to the FASTY kernel no matter what kind of physical input device is currently connected to the computer.
In general a FASTY driver has to perform mainly three tasks:
The FASTY runtime system will use sets of different drivers. An entry of the driver name in the systems initializing file determines, which driver will be loaded during program start up and used during runtime. The Adjustment Tool will be used for selection and setup of the drivers.
All drivers make a consistent set of function available to the FASTY system. They deliver the following information:
At the end of the second project year version 1.02.01 of the first prototype of the User Interface software was available.
Parts of the FASTY user interface are new devices that enable users to use their motor abilities better for computer input. The idea behind the Pressure Sensitive Keyboard is to evaluate the pressure as additional information in the input process. To press a key or not to press it is one bit of information. By evaluating the pressure it is possible to gain more information from pressing a key. E.g. to press weakly or strongly can be used for different input actions. This idea was implemented by using Force Sensing Resistor (FSR) technology. It applies a semiconductor-material that changes its resistor value with the pressure on it. So the resistor value can be used to evaluate the pressure on the material.
None of the commercially available interfaces for connecting input devices to PCs are able to analyse the output signal of pressure sensitive sensors. A new hardware interface is therefore being developed within the FASTY project: the SensorBox. The SensorBox measures the resistor values of pressure sensitive elements and converts them into digital data. This data is sent to the PC for further evaluation.
The SensorBox provides up to 8 inputs for sensors. The range of measurement is adapted in such a way that very soft pressure can be used as well as quite hard pressure like in a foot switch.
The Pressure Sensitive Keyboard (PSK) is a standard PC keyboard with a pressure sensitive element under each key inside the keyboard case. This device allows the evaluation of the pressure on the keys and uses the pressure information for additional functions. At the present time the PSK exists only for a standard PC keyboard. However, this covers most of the potential users. It is planned to build also enlarged PSKs in the future. This would cover the next big group of keyboard users.
