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What type of input device should I use?
Who uses a keyboard?
A person with fine motor
skills who can identify target keys either by letter
and number or pictures is a good candidate for
using a keyboard. Any standard USB keyboard or
alternative keyboard such as the IntelliKeys
®
from
IntelliTools, Inc., as well as the Windows On-Screen
Keyboard will work with Mercury.
Who uses a switch?
A person with very limited
movement is a good candidate for a switch. A
switch can be mounted to any stable surface and be
accessed by any body part with deliberate,
discernible movement. Switches come in a variety of
shapes and sizes and have varying degrees of
sensitivity. The switch inputs on Mercury can be set
to send any keystroke or mouse click. Switch-
accessible software programs expect the switch to
emulate a certain keystroke or mouse equivalent.
For example, Speaking Dynamically Pro from
Mayer-Johnson Co. expects the switch to act as a
mouse click, while other programs might expect the
switch to act as the “1” key or the “2” key. Use the
Mercury Control Panel (see page 33) to set up the
switch(es) to send the correct information to your
software program.
Who uses a mouse?
A person with average visual-
motor skills and the ability to attend to the
computer screen is a good candidate for a mouse.
Some users can physically access a mouse, but find it
challenging to understand the relationship between
moving the mouse and cursor movement on the
screen. In that case, try direct selection using the
built-in touchscreen.
Who uses an alternative pointing device?
A person
with limited movement of the upper and lower
extremities, but who has controlled head movement,
is a good candidate for an alternative pointer.
Who uses a touchscreen?
A person who can target
objects by direct selection, who cannot attend to both
the computer screen and a peripheral device
simultaneously, or who cannot associate using a
peripheral device with seeing cursor movement on
the screen is a good candidate for a touchscreen.
Clinicians often use a touchscreen to motivate clients
to interact with the computer. An optional clear
Finger Guard
fits over the Mercury touchscreen. It
assists users in moving and selecting targets on the
touchscreen.
Who uses a joystick?
A person who uses a joystick
to drive a powered wheelchair or who finds the
mouse or trackpad difficult to use due to limited
dexterity may prefer to use a joystick as an input
device. It allows for direct selection as the user has
control over mouse direction and speed. Additional
switches may be used for click and drag options.
