Pointing devices to beat Old Man Arthritis

Bob-Hur · 2008-02-25 07:44:45

I've posted earlier on getting a keyboard that will work with my clumsy arthritic hands, and settled with an IBM Model M that I love. I'm still fighting the meeces for a good fit. The Microsoft Elite Wireless put a lot of stress on my wrist, so when it died I got a Microsoft Natural Laser 6000. Nice mouse, easier on the wrist and fingers, but no matter how I change the settings I can't get fine movement. I have a new Logitech Marble mouse that is nice, but no scroll bar and I use that feature a lot. I can't use the Synaptics driver with my Adesso stand-alone touchpad, and the tapping is far too light for me if I leave it set to the default PS/2 or IMS/2 settings in xorg.conf. I'm at a loss as to what to try next, I know the problem can be solved.

Any ideas? I know there are a couple of odd designs out there like the vertical mouse, but I don't know if that would help. The best so far has been the touchpad, if I could just turn off the tapping. Another solution would be to use the trackball on the right, if I can find one of the scrollbar (only) that once were sold to clip to a laptop.

I'd sure appreciate any help or advice offered,

Thank you,
Bob

Bob-Hur · 2008-03-02 00:57:06

A little bump (first and only one).

koch · 2008-03-02 01:20:10

hello bob,
where do you come from? i am from germany and just read an article in one of the few(or almost the only) good computer-magazines here.
do you speak german?

they tried some stuff like vertical mice, special keyboards and some other stuff in trelationship with special medical problems. also they had some statements from doctors who are specialiced on this.

short summary as far as i remember: you have to try it out but for most of the people there was a great improvement (is it the right word?). i will have a look if i have the magazine still here.
if yes i will post some stuff from there in english. i think they also had some links in the article.
as far as i remember the doctors said there should be a solution for most of the people.
PERHAPS i can post some email-adress of the author or some doctors so you could send them a mail with your question referring to the article i am talking about. the language should be no problem.

personally i was surprised was is out there being "oddly designed" but seems to be very helpful for a lot of people.

tomorrow i work from 10 am to 11 pm so i will be here at about 1 am on monday morning. ups, it is my girlfriends birthday on monday so perhaps it will be 2 am...

stay tuned...michael

Bob-Hur · 2008-03-02 02:13:23

koch wrote:

hello bob,
where do you come from? i am from germany and just read an article in one of the few(or almost the only) good computer-magazines here.
do you speak german?

Thank you for replying, Michael. No, I only speak and write English.

they tried some stuff like vertical mice, special keyboards and some other stuff in trelationship with special medical problems. also they had some statements from doctors who are specialiced on this.

The touchpad helps, but swelling in the joints of my hand and wrist make me clumsy and the "tapping" feature is too sensitive for me.

Synaptics has a nice Linux driver to adjust that feature or turn it off, but they don't make a stand-alone touchpad. Adesso makes a stand-alone touchpad, but no drivers. I emailed both companies - Adesso said bluntly "no, we don't support Linux", but Synaptics sent a very nice personal reply saying that they were getting many such requests and were working with their OEMs to offer such a product. I'm now a big Synaptics fan , but it may be a long time before I can buy a touchpad from them.

short summary as far as i remember: you have to try it out but for most of the people there was a great improvement (is it the right word?). i will have a look if i have the magazine still here.
if yes i will post some stuff from there in english. i think they also had some links in the article.
as far as i remember the doctors said there should be a solution for most of the people.
PERHAPS i can post some email-adress of the author or some doctors so you could send them a mail with your question referring to the article i am talking about. the language should be no problem.

I would very much appreciate that if you can find the time, there's no hurry for a reply so please don't inconvenience yourself. Right now the problem is manageable, but it's a progressive disease.

koch · 2008-03-02 02:40:51

found it.:D
the article is also on the website with some links but after a quick look most of them refer to german sites unfotunately.
i will have a closer look the next days and post them.
even if the links are in german perhaps you see something interesting for you. some of the companies surely have an english webpresence.
but now i will finish my beer and go to bed. long day tomorrow:P

see you here and good night, it is 3.40 am over here:P:P. i have to sleep now.

michael

koch · 2008-03-02 02:57:51

http://www.contourdesign.com/rollermouse/

for this you don't even need the fingers, not very cheap, can be run besides another mouse, configurable as far as i read here. i can't describe it, have a look.
there is also a flash movie.

the "bar" above the buttons is the mouse which can be used also with the heel of hand/thenar (sorry, it is from a dictionary).

good night

Last edited by koch (2008-03-02 02:58:11)

MoonSwan · 2008-03-02 04:00:20

I have arthritis in my jaw so I know the pain you suffer Bob-hur. My only honest suggestion is to try a kensington trackball. They sell some with oversized balls and those also sport a large number of buttons (up to 12 or so I believe). The other device, though far from cheap, that I'd recommend is a space orb. I'm not sure if they're still made but they're quite a nifty little device. If a trackpad is what you want, there is a company called Cirque that makes stand alone trackpads. They're not expensive & might do what you wish.

MS

SiC · 2008-03-02 04:54:19

My aunt has severe arthritis, so I understand some of the difficulties you are having. I'd like to add another recommendation for a trackball. She uses one quite successfully, although it does take some getting used to compared to a usual mouse, but they are excellent, and very often overlooked pointing devices. Plus they tend to be fixed, so if you have problems with your wrists also they mitigate that quite significantly.

Arch Linux

#1 2008-02-25 07:44:45

Pointing devices to beat Old Man Arthritis

#2 2008-03-02 00:57:06

Re: Pointing devices to beat Old Man Arthritis

#3 2008-03-02 01:20:10

Re: Pointing devices to beat Old Man Arthritis

#4 2008-03-02 02:13:23

Re: Pointing devices to beat Old Man Arthritis

#5 2008-03-02 02:40:51

Re: Pointing devices to beat Old Man Arthritis

#6 2008-03-02 02:57:51

Re: Pointing devices to beat Old Man Arthritis

#7 2008-03-02 04:00:20

Re: Pointing devices to beat Old Man Arthritis

#8 2008-03-02 04:54:19

Re: Pointing devices to beat Old Man Arthritis

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