JP2001243011A - Terminal device for electronic equipment input to be operated in mouth - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily realize the operation of electronic equipment such as a personal computer or an operating work by a part of a body other than hands in a state that any manual operation is not available due to any physical situation or that hands can not be used due to another work. SOLUTION: Almost semi-spherical mouse piece-shaped inputting equipment to be housed in the mouth of a human body is set in the mouth as the form of an input terminal device such as a personal computer, and a cursor movement controller arranged at a part of the input equipment is operated by the tip of tongue of the human body.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an input device for a person with a physical disability, when it is impossible or difficult to manually perform keyboard typing operation when operating an electronic device terminal such as a personal computer or a control device. The present invention relates to a terminal device and its operation means.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, not to mention the business environment,
It has been a long time since computers (PCs) began to be established as tools to make personal life comfortable.
Furthermore, it goes without saying that various tasks in the office, as well as various personal use creation and expression activities, have become dramatically more convenient, faster and easier. The accompanying advances in the operability of peripheral devices have in some ways accelerated the participation of people with disabilities (hereinafter referred to as disabled) in social activities.

For example, through a viewfinder of an electronic device,
A visual input system that reads the focus of objects (characters, graphics, etc.) in front of the human gaze, a keyboardless voice input system that has been enhanced in accuracy, recognition vocabulary, and function functions, and also reads brain wave movements An advanced system, an input system for moving a foot to drive it, and a system for blowing breath on an operation board are examples of devices for supporting a severely disabled person.

[0004] Among them, with regard to "visual", "voice" and "breath", major manufacturers have already reached the level of practical use of both software and hardware, and especially the development and spread of voice input methods are not limited to persons with disabilities and are generally healthy. A remarkable demand is expected for the elderly. However, it can be generally said that these are only auxiliary means, and each person with a disability has a different usage depending on the severe level, and inexpensive and common input devices for severely disabled people are currently not available. Did not exist.

[0005]

A comparison between the novel input terminal device according to the present invention and the conventional input terminal device (input terminal device not using both hands) in each of the above-described input systems will be described. Discussed below, assuming electronic equipment.

First, there is an input recognition method based on the eyes of "selecting an input target graphic by visually observing a target position of a character graphic and focusing on a line of sight through a finder". Although it is useful as one of the only methods left for severely disabled people, the mechanical equipment itself is still very expensive at present, and the optic nerve fatigue in operation is large,
In addition, the fact that the current equipment is heavier than it appears is a major factor preventing practical and versatile use. This also applies to the EEG detection method.

[0007] Next, in the case of an input terminal device using "voice recognition", it is basically useful for a handicapped person who can talk to a person by voice as an input terminal support device equivalent to a healthy person. In addition, there are problems with re-input operations such as misrecognition and correction due to individual differences, the need for accurate and clear pronunciation and volume in operations, and the burden on the vocal cords (throat) for persons with disabilities. And the like, it is difficult to protect privacy, and the main point is that the work mainly involves only text input of a document or the like, that is, the drawing work for moving the cursor, that is, the so-called scrolling is almost impossible.

[0008] Of course, at the moment, it is commercially available as a voice recognition input device and its software that the manufacturer originally developed, and it was not developed only for disabled people with a specific physical disability. This is not surprising in a sense, but it is not a "hands-free, convenient hand for a healthy person ...", but a means of operating a computer in a situation where both hands cannot be used freely, such as a specific handicapped person. Assuming that this is one of the above, it is certainly a useful terminal device for inputting electronic equipment.

However, as described above, a continuous and smooth operation work (scrolling or the like) is required when taking a step further to make full use of a complicated work such as a line drawing, or when creating a creative image. When trying to give
Either of the above input means is functionally impossible or insufficient, or requires a great deal of time and effort in operating.

Furthermore, if a personal computer (computer, etc.) is considered as a tool (tool) for supporting the daily work of persons with disabilities (including a disabled person and a caregiver, etc.), first of all, the operability (caregiver) is considered. Needless to say, it is necessary to consider that the various types of continuous fatigue associated with the above-mentioned instructions are always minimal. Further, in terms of capital investment, a dedicated machine for the handicapped is expensive and economically burdensome. For this reason, by newly designing and improving only a part of the input terminal device, the input terminal device that achieves the purpose of the operating by another physical movement to take over the movement of the physically disabled part of the disabled person, and The development of terminal devices has been desired.

[0011]

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and its means is, as described in claim 1, as a form of an input terminal device, which is used in an oral cavity. A terminal device for electronic device input, in which a substantially hemispherical dome-shaped mouthpiece-shaped input device terminal that fits in the mouth is set in the oral cavity, and a cursor movement controller arranged on a part of the device terminal is operated with a human tongue. Used.

Further, as a form of the input device terminal device, a trackball or a touch pad (for example, a function equivalent to a capacitive pad provided in a laptop personal computer). Or a stick-like track lever as a cursor movement controller, which may be used as a terminal device for inputting electronic equipment operated by the tongue of a human body.

Further, as described in claim 3, a terminal device for inputting electronic equipment may be provided with a cursor movement controller capable of reading the movement of the tongue by an optical signal.

[0014] Further, the enter button device may be a decision button to be combined with either the cursor of the personal computer monitor (on the CRT) or the controller for moving the pointer. May be a terminal device for inputting electronic equipment with a switch, which has a click function at a part, in terms of position, meshed with teeth.

The electronic device input terminal device operated in the oral cavity is displayed as a keyboard graphic screen on a part of a monitor (CRT or the like) corresponding to the input terminal device. By having the frame function to perform the selection, it is possible to recognize the selected graphic character or the like.

More specifically, some methods of using the input terminal device for the purpose of operating in the oral cavity include controlling the movement of the tongue of the human body, that is, controlling the movement of the cursor by the tip of the tongue. Input method.

[0017]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The input terminal device of the present invention is used in a form significantly different from a general personal computer mouse as shown in FIG. The upper and lower anterior teeth hold a part of the device in an occlusal manner, and the outer surface of the substantially hemispherical shape is slightly thickened according to the shape of the upper jaw in the oral cavity so that the device is easily held in the oral cavity.

As an example, FIG. 1 shows a three-sided view of a substantially shape. In this input terminal device, the shape and size of the device main body 1 are set so as to follow the shape of the upper jaw in the human body oral cavity, and a part of the trackball 2 like a normal personal computer mouse rotating ball is provided on the lower side of the main body. The trackball 2 is arranged so as to be exposed, and is driven by rolling the trackball 2 with the tip of the tongue of the human body. Also, at this time, the click switch 4 at the base of the arm can be switched by pushing the trackball 2 itself slightly upward with the tongue tip toward the upper jaw.

Although the model form shown in FIG. 1 is provided with a cord, it is technically possible to make the input terminal device cordless by optical communication means using a light receiving section of an infrared port on the personal computer side. In that case, the drive power supply is built in the device. In addition, assuming that there is a possibility of setting and holding in the oral cavity and danger of accidental ingestion, a collar part 11 or an auxiliary part 9 which is applied to the lip side having a shape similar to an infant pacifier shown in FIG. 8 is separately provided. An attachment structure is also conceivable.

As still another means, the trackball 2
Instead of this, it is also possible to set a device for optically detecting the movement of the tongue and converting it into a signal, or to determine the operation of determining an arbitrary recognition selection command by switching based on the occlusal strength and the bite position of the front teeth. Naturally, the input terminal device body 1 is designed to be dampproof, waterproof, and antibacterial in structure, and the trackball 2 has smoothness that can be rolled lightly with the tongue and a certain degree of frictional resistance, and always projects downward with gravity or a spring. It has a structure to return to. Further, as seen in a general notebook-type laptop PC, the control operation can be performed as substantially the same operation in the case of a stick type track lever 8 shown in FIG. 4 as another shape.

Similarly, in a touch pad type input terminal device, as shown in FIG.
It is also possible to operate the pointer 6 in conjunction with the pointer on the CRT screen by the movement of the tongue tip of the human body, and to execute selection or determination in input to an electronic device such as a personal computer by a continuous touch operation of the tongue tip. Schematically, you can imagine a laptop PC with a capacitance-type flat touch pad that has a substantially dome-shaped inner shape that fits into the upper jaw of the oral cavity, and operate with a tongue instead of a finger. .

As another shape of the input terminal device main body, there is a baby pacifier shape as shown in FIG. The operation method is the same as that of the above-mentioned touch pad type body, except that the enter button is a click switch 4 for meshing, and the approximate suction cup shape of the device body 1 made of a flexible material is shown in the upper right figure. Thus, the pressure sensor switch 10 is switched by applying pressure in the direction of the arrow in the figure. Also, by attaching the collar 11 to the base of the cord 7 of the input terminal device, it is possible to hold the input terminal device in a sucking state using the lips.

Actually, as the operation of these input terminal devices described above, in the case of general text input, as shown in FIG. 3, a keyboard image 13 is displayed as a frame on the CRT screen of the electronic device main body side. In the case of FIG. 1, the trackball 2 of the upper jaw input terminal device is moved to the dome-shaped device main body 1 by moving the cursor 14 or the pointer 15 by the above-mentioned operation and confirming the selected character figure.
By pressing in the direction of the inner pallet, the click switch 4 at the base of the arm supporting the trackball 2 is pressed to confirm the input contents, or
Apart from the movement of 2, the operation is executed by pressing the click switch 4 located at the position where the front teeth touch, or by performing a click operation with a structure in which both switches are commonly linked. Further, another auxiliary switch 5 for the purpose of multifunctional switching may be separately arranged on the left and right.

In addition to such rotational movement type dynamic operation signals, conversion to various input signals such as those of the capacitance type touch panel and reading of tongue movement by optical signals using an optical sensor or the like. The application of the method has the potential to serve as a "second fingertip" for severely disabled people with, for example, both hands disabled.

In addition, by setting the association with the auxiliary switch according to the occlusal strength, the direction, the arrangement, and the like, the content of the determination can be individually specified, or the auxiliary switches can be mounted and arranged in a complex manner. It is also feasible to have a function as a function of a right button of a mouse in a general personal computer.

Based on such a series of electronic device input operations as described above, for example, a so-called normal drag operation in which the cursor is moved while right-clicking is performed, and the mutual operation of the tongue tip of the oral cavity of the human body and the engagement operation This makes it possible to perform complicated operations, and it is possible to sufficiently cope with not only simple text input but also work contents for writing advanced creations such as sketching, lettering, CAD drawings and the like.

[0027]

As described above, the present invention can be applied to a case where operation of an electronic device cannot be performed with both hands (manually) due to some physical condition, or when the hand cannot be used for some other work. It is an input terminal device that performs operating operations of electronic devices such as personal computers in the oral cavity of the human head.By using this terminal device, even a severely disabled person with limited limbs can easily It enables typing operation work to replace the cursor movement operation equivalent to a PC mouse and the operation equivalent to an input keyboard.

As an application other than the welfare equipment for the handicapped, it is also possible to check the contents of the electronic equipment while checking the contents of the operation, even when both hands are performing other operations, at the time of operations such as complicated industrial machines and advanced micro-surgery. Can be performed simultaneously and in parallel. This is because the muscles of the tip of the tongue move finely, and it is possible to perform subtle movements equivalent to the action of the fingertips of both hands and smooth work operation adjustment. Accordingly, there is an advantage that the main work is not biased to text input typing or function key selection as in the case of the voice recognition input and the visual recognition input means which have been conventionally used.

Further, according to the present invention, the fatigue during the operation of the work is very small, the equipment is not large, the capital investment is not required, the cost is almost the same as a normal personal computer mouse, and the same as the healthy person. The mouse can be operated, and there is a large special effect that plays a role of enabling disabled persons to enter a creative area such as image creation by making full use of scrolling and dragging.

As described above, by utilizing the electronic device input terminal device operated in the oral cavity according to the present invention,
First, if we discuss in the category of electronic device operation by disabled people with disabilities, apart from the voice recognition input device, the work speed is dramatically higher than that of a series of conventional "input terminals without limbs". This will improve the ability development and independence of those with disabilities.

If so, it is highly likely that employment will be promoted naturally in society, and the SOHO
Activities, independence and independence are also possible. As a result, it is possible to bring out the motivation and confidence of people with severe disabilities who have severe disabilities to experience hands-on communication and social exchange.

Further, by using the terminal device of the present invention, smooth scrolling, dragging, and drafting operations, which have been difficult with conventional input devices, can be performed. Possibilities for application to creative activities and life support using various electronic devices will expand in the future.

[0033] Besides, as a welfare device for the handicapped,
At various sites, full-automatic and complex multifunctional operating processes using computers have been attempted, but among these, especially in the manipulator technology of space development technology and the operation of cutting-edge micro-surgery, one person can use two hands. At the same time, it is practically possible to operate a plurality of other electronic devices.

Conversely, if it is possible to perform manual work with both hands even during the operation of the electronic equipment, multifunctionality can be achieved in various fields in terms of work efficiency and operability, for example, in addition to the rare special uses as described above. It can serve as an input terminal device.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic three-view diagram showing a usage pattern of an input terminal device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a usage form of the electronic device input terminal device of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an example of a keyboard screen for an input terminal device displayed in a frame on a personal computer monitor screen when the electronic device input terminal device of the present invention is used.

FIG. 4 is a schematic three-view drawing showing another form of the electronic device input terminal device of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic three-side view showing another form of the electronic device input terminal device of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a schematic three-side view showing another form of the electronic device input terminal device of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a usage form of the electronic device input terminal device of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a schematic three-side view showing another configuration of the electronic device input terminal device of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Device body 2 Trackball 3 Sensor 4 Click switch 5 Auxiliary switch 6 Touch pad 7 Code 8 Track lever 9 Auxiliary parts 10 Pressure sensor switch 11 Flange 12 Tongue

Claims (5)

[Claims] An input terminal device such as a personal computer or the like has a substantially hemispherical mouthpiece-shaped input device that fits in the mouth of a human body set in the mouth, and a cursor movement controller arranged in a part of the input device. A terminal device for inputting electronic equipment, wherein the terminal device is operated with a tongue of a human body. 2. The electronic device input terminal device according to claim 1, further comprising a cursor movement controller such as a trackball, a touchpad, or a stick type as a specification form of the movement controller of the input device terminal. 3. The electronic device input terminal device according to claim 1, further comprising a cursor movement controller for reading the movement of the tongue as an optical signal as a specification feature of the input device terminal. 4. A part combined with the cursor movement controller according to claim 2 or 3, and part of the input device terminal or a part meshed with the front teeth in position,
2. The terminal device for inputting electronic equipment according to claim 1, wherein a switch as a button for confirming a cursor position on the electronic equipment monitor is arranged. 5. A function of displaying a keyboard layout graphic in a frame on a monitor (CRT and liquid crystal display) screen corresponding to the input device terminal and selecting and recognizing the layout graphic character or the like. 5. An electronic device input device having a cursor or pointer display function interlocked with the electronic device input terminal device according to claim 2, wherein the series of operation operations can be executed on the monitor. Keyboardless recognizer unit.