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- The New York Times
February 26, 1995
STEP ON IT !
KEYBOARD CONTROL PEDALS
by Bilbo Innovations, Inc.
more comfort, greater productivity;
for interactive computer games;
lessen wrist stresses associated with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome;
useful for people with limited hand abilities;
for voice recognition / dictation.
STEP-ON-IT! Keyboard Control Pedals supplement the computer
keyboard with three electronic foot switches that take over the
operation of selected keystrokes and mouse clicks. The system
moves part of the entry activity from the keyboard to the floor
pedals - thus speeding up the typing process through reducing
hand movements.
STEP-ON-IT! Keyboard Control Pedals can be custom-programmed
by the end-user to assign or reassign any three keys or
mouse clicks to the floor operation, to suit the needs at the
time.
An initial default configuration for the foot-operated switches
is these frequently used keystrokes:
Pedal 1 -
Pedal 2 -
Pedal 3 -
However, the operator can choose to assign any other keystroke,
such as - Esc, Return, PgUp, PgDn, a longer macro (up to 13 characters
per pedal), or a mouse button click.
Using STEP ON IT! pedals effectively takes the strain off the
hands of the operator for extra efficiency,
speed and comfort. They may also help to avoid bent and twisted
wrist positions, usually associated with Repetitive
Strain Injury, and could have special advantages for the disabled
and amputees.
In interactive gaming environments, STEP-ON-IT! controls can
speed up the operations, with less hand switching required back
and forth from the joystick or yoke to the keyboard. The system
is compatible with all PC games,
joysticks, yokes, and similar gaming input devices currently on
the market. No game controller is required.
- Take the strain off your hands - use your feet!
- As easy to use as a mouse
- Compatible with any PC
- Reprogrammable
- You are in command!
TAKE THE NEXT STEP
IN USER CONVENIENCE!
- Emulates keystrokes and mouse button clicks (1)
;
- Lessens wrist stresses associated with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
(2);
- Ideal for word processing, CAD,
desktop publishing;
- Color-coded to match WordPerfect
keyboard templates;
- For typing HTML tags;
- Works with all IBM PC/AT compatible desktop computers and
most notebooks and PS/2, running under DOS, Windows 3.1 and
95, OS/2, UNIX or any other operating system (3);
- A miniature external controller plugs in between the keyboard
and the PC;
- Easy to assign which keys are emulated by pedals - menu driven
software is friendly to everyone - no programming skills required;
- Can be programmed for frequently used macros;
- Easy to install - just plug and play (4);
- Allows hands-free control of IBM's VoiceType dictation
system;
- Compatible with any PC-based game
on the market, no game controller required. Will not interfere
with yokes or joysticks (5);
- Reduce hand switching between joystick and keyboard. Ideal
for launching missiles, switching weapons, adjusting shields,
etc.;
- Various custom foot switches are available
to OEM customers: cordless, made of stainless steel, teeter-totter,
etc.
- Made in the United States.
(1) - Unlike the keystrokes,
that can be emulated with ANY operating system with no software
involved, the mouse emulation is possible only under MS - Windows
and requires a TSR-like program running.
(2) - Bilbo Innovations hopes its
STEP ON IT! Keyboard Control Pedals could help to offset Repetitive
Strain Injury, although there have as yet been no clinical or
other trials undertaken to verify this. Victims of RSI or a similar
syndrome should consult their doctors. STEP ON IT! Keyboard Control
Pedals is just a supplementary electronic computer input device,
not a medical device or healing aid.
(3) - Although STEP ON IT! pedals
are engineered for AT it is still possible to use them with most
PS/2. Since PS/2s use slightly different keyboard protocol, assigning
certain complicated key sequences (like, say, Ctrl + grey Home)
to the pedals may be unavailable. With notebooks, you would need
a full-size external keyboard or another desktop computer to reprogram
the pedals. However, once programmed the pedals could be used
with the notebook's own keyboard. Pedals are incompatible with
XT. PS/2-to-AT adaptors (included with the package) may be needed
to connect the device. Needs to run DOS or Windows to reassign
the pedals.
(4) - What is wrong with "Plug
and play" concept? (If you don't know the answer click
here.)
(5) - Pedals are digital switches
- not linear - they will not emulate gas or rudder pedals.
Bilbo Innovations, Inc.
bilbo@bilbo.com
www.bilbo.com
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click here.
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Bilbo Innovations, Inc. -- STEP ON IT! Keyboard Control
Pedals / bilbo@bilbo.com