Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
(Please
submit questions to james.gips@bc.edu)
Who can benefit from Camera Mouse?
Camera Mouse is intended for people with physical disabilities, people who cannot move their hands to control a mouse or speak to a voice recognition program. To use Camera Mouse a person needs to be able to control the movement of his head.
There are two main audiences for Camera Mouse.
The primary audience is people, often children or teenagers, who were born with physical disabilities (typically with Cerebral Palsy or other neurological disorders). These folks may never have learned to read and are not familiar with using a computer. They might not have any communication system at all. They might not understand cause and effect, that actions on their part can cause events in the world. These people typically would use Camera Mouse with a caregiver at their side. The caregiver would start up Camera Mouse and an application program and then turn control over to the person.
The second audience for Camera Mouse are adults who learned to read and use a computer but then lost their physical ability to use the computer because of an accident or stroke or degenerative disease. These folks might use Camera Mouse for stretches of time unattended to do email or to write or to surf the web. This is more difficult than using Camera Mouse with someone else present.
How does Camera Mouse work?
Connect a USB video camera (webcam) to the computer. Put the camera on the monitor looking at you. Start up Camera Mouse. Your moving image will appear in the Camera Mouse window. Use the mouse to click on a feature on your face to track. Some unique area of the face. We usually use the inside edge of an eyebrow or eye or the area between the nose and the mouth. A small green square appears at the feature being tracked. As you move your head the square moves with it in the image.
Now press the Scroll Lock key or the Ctrl key or just wait for 4 seconds. The Camera Mouse program takes over control of the mouse pointer on the screen. As you move your head the mouse pointer moves accordingly. If you move the mouse itself (or press the Scroll Lock key or Ctrl key) the control returns to the mouse.
You can adjust the settings by clicking on the Camera Mouse Settings button at the bottom of the window. Here you can change the gains and turn on clicking. Clicking is done using "dwell time," by holding the mouse pointer within a small area of the screen for a second or two. Or you can click in the regular way using the mouse button or a switch.
People learn to use Camera Mouse quite quickly.
What advice would you give to someone just starting out with Camera Mouse?
Start with slow but steady head movements. The computer is trying to track the point on your face that you selected. If you make quick, jerky movements the computer might lose tracking. Experiment with your head movements to see what the computer can track and when the computer loses tracking. Pretty soon you should be able to minimize the Camera Mouse program and still control the mouse pointer by moving your head. It's not at all difficult to use Camera Mouse but it does take a couple of minutes of practice.
Then download the free Aliens and Paint programs from the Downloads page and give them a try.
Is the Camera Mouse 2009 software really free?
Yes. We hope it's useful for you.
Are there any hidden costs or gimmicks or advertisements?
No.
What hardware do I need?
A Windows computer with Vista or an up-to-date XP. For older versions of Windows you should download Camera Mouse 2008.
Also a standard USB video camera (webcam). We use and recommend the Logitech QuickCam Pro 9000. We've tried Camera Mouse 2009 with various webcams from Logitech, Creative Labs, and Microsoft with success. If the webcam is very low quality, the video image may be noisy and Camera Mouse might have a problem with tracking.
Can someone do a formal evaluation with Camera Mouse or provide training or provide consulting on curriculum development and adaptation?
Yes. Please contact Maureen Gates of the Boston College Campus School at 617-552-8214 or gatesma@bc.edu.
I downloaded the program. But where is the manual for Camera Mouse 2009?
Start Camera Mouse 2009. Click on the Settings button on the main Camera Mouse 2009 window. Then click on Help in the Camera Mouse 2009 Settings window and the manual will appear. Alternatively you can just download a copy of the manual from the Downloads page or by clicking here.
When I try to run Camera Mouse 2009 I get the error message: "The application failed to initialize properly."
The error message usually means that you do not have Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 installed on your computer. Most likely you are running Windows XP without the full Service Pack 2 or 3 or you are running an older version of Windows that came out before XP. One option is to download Camera Mouse 2008 by clicking here. It has almost the same functionality as Camera Mouse 2009 but is intended for older computers. Another option is to download .NET Framework 3.5 here (not for the faint of heart).
I wear glasses. What is a good point on the face to track?
The place on the bridge of the glasses between the eyes where the different parts of the frame come together often is an excellent spot. Best is to track some small area on the face that has a unique shape. So the center of the forehead usually is not a good spot to track as it usually looks just like the rest of the forehead so the green square will float around. The tip of the nose usually is just a fair spot as the shape may change with the lighting as the head is rotated. The corner of an eyebrow usually is a good spot or the area between the nose and the mouth. Best is to experiment with some different spots for tracking.
Is a person who can speak a good candidate for Camera Mouse?
Generally, people who can speak clearly are better off using a voice recognition program to control the computer. This means, for example, we have few users of Camera Mouse who have spinal cord injuries, as generally people with spinal cord injuries retain the ability to speak.
Can Camera Mouse help people with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?
Maybe. Feel free to download the program and try it. Let us know if it works for you.
Can people without serious physical disabilities use Camera Mouse?
Sure. Give it a try. If it's useful for you, great!
Have people put Camera Mouse to use for other purposes?
Yes. Here is a link to a YouTube video of Camera Mouse being used as part of a clever and inexpensive Drawing Pad: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SEu-Wpy3_Y
Would you send me the source code for Camera Mouse?
Sorry. We do not make the source code available.
Can I use Camera Mouse 2009 with an older Windows computer?
Camera Mouse 2009 requires Windows Vista or an up-to-date Windows XP (with Microsoft Service Pack 2 or 3). With an older Windows computer you probably will need to use Camera Mouse 2008. If the computer is really old, the processor might be too slow to run Camera Mouse and an application program. Also it's best if the computer has a USB 2.0 port for your webcam and not the older USB 1.1 port.
Can I use Camera Mouse 2009 with a notebook computer?
Yes. A notebook computer can enable the entire system to fit on the tray of a wheelchair and be portable.
Can I use Camera Mouse 2009 with a built-in camera in my notebook computer or monitor?
Yes, it should work fine. If it doesn't please let us know at james.gips@bc.edu.
Is there a version of Camera Mouse for the Macintosh under one of its native operating systems?
No. Not at this time.
How about on a Macintosh running Windows?
People report running Camera Mouse 2009 successfully on Macintoshes running Windows.
How do I double-click with Camera Mouse?
There is no facility for double-clicking (or right-clicking or dragging) with Camera Mouse. But if you download the free program ClickAid by Polital Enterprises you can run this program with Camera Mouse and be able to perform all these mouse activities through Camera Mouse. Point-N-Click, also free from Polital, is a more powerful but somewhat more complex version of ClickAid.
Alternatively, if you want to be able to use Camera Mouse to open folders or start up programs, you can enable "Single click to open an item" in Windows. To do this, go into the Control Panel, select Classic View and then Folders. Click on "Single click to open an item".
Are there other head tracking technologies?
Yes, certainly. Most commercial products use an infrared-reflective dot placed on the forehead or on a baseball hat with an infrared light source and camera on the monitor to track the movement of the dot. They track better than Camera Mouse, but involve the purchase of special hardware. See the NaturalPoint SmartNav 4:AT system ($499), the Madentec TrackerPro ($995), and the Origin Instruments HeadMouse Extreme ($995). The SmartNav 4:AT system includes a utility for double-clicking and dragging and an onscreen keyboard.
My family member / student / client can't move his head at all, just his eyes. Can he use Camera Mouse?
No. Camera Mouse tracks head movements. If a person can just move his eyes you need to use an eye control system, rather than a head control system. At Boston College, we have developed an eye control system called EagleEyes. EagleEyes is manufactured and distributed by the Opportunity Foundation of America. For more information see www.eagleeyes.org or www.ofoa.net. Or contact Debbie Inkley, Executive Director of the Opportunity Foundation of America, at debbieinkley@ofoa.net. There also are commercial eye control systems available, for example, from LC Technologies and Tobii.
My webcam has automatic head tracking to keep the head in the center of the image. Should I enable the head tracking in the camera software?
No! The head tracking of the camera and the head tracking in Camera Mouse will cancel each other out. The head needs to move in the image in order for Camera Mouse to work.
What applications software can be used with Camera Mouse?
See the Downloads page of this website for some suggestions. You can try Camera Mouse with any software. It works best with software that doesn't require extreme accuracy and that is controlled by mouse movement and left clicks.
What is the relation of Camera Mouse 2009 with the commercial Camera Mouse program that used to be available?
Camera Mouse 2009 is actually the fifth incarnation of Camera Mouse. The first was developed at our lab in Boston College and was distributed for free on a limited basis. Boston College then awarded the exclusive license to the Camera Mouse technology to Camera Mouse, Inc., a start-up company out of the IC2 Institute of the University of Texas, Austin. The company developed the version of Camera Mouse that they sold commercially. When the company collapsed the license was revoked by Boston College. Camera Mouse 2007 was developed from scratch. Camera Mouse 2008 is an extension of Camera Mouse 2007 that works with a much wider variety of webcams. Camera Mouse 2009 is an improved version in a much smaller download that works with computers with multiple video sources, such as television tuners. We believe Camera Mouse 2009 can help folks so we are making it available for free over the web.
My daughter gets mesmerized looking at her video image on the screen while using Camera Mouse 2009. Is there some way I can hide the video image and still have the program track her head movements to control the mouse pointer?
Yes. You can minimize the Camera Mouse program by clicking on the standard minimize button in the top right corner of the window. Camera Mouse will continue to function while the program is minimized. You can switch control between the Camera Mouse and the mouse in the same way, for example by pressing the Scroll Lock key or Ctrl key or moving the mouse.
Will Camera Mouse 2009 work on a two screen system?
Yes. This will allow you to monitor the video tracking in one screen while the child sees and runs the full application program in the other screen.
The head is too small in the image. Is there anything I can do?
Many cameras have a zoom capability, usually in the software. Go into the Camera Mouse 2009 Settings window and then click on the Camera Settings button. Look in the camera settings window provided by the camera manufacturer to see if there is a way to zoom in. Alternatively, of course, you can try to move the person closer to the camera or the camera closer to the person. You also can adjust the Horizontal Gain and Vertical Gain settings in the Camera Mouse 2009 Settings window.
The face is too dark in the image. What can I do?
You can try changing the lighting in the room. Or you can go into the Camera Mouse 2009 Settings window and then click on the Camera Settings button. Look in the camera settings window provided by the camera manufacturer to see if there is a way to adjust the brightness of the image. Or maybe you can turn on Automatic RightLight or its equivalent for your webcam (see next question).
My Logitech webcam asks me if I want to use Automatic RightLight Settings. How should I answer?
Automatic RightLight automatically adjusts the image in low light environments. This is good. It's best to always keep Automatic RightLight, or the equivalent in the settings of webcams made by other manufacturers, turned on.
When I start Camera Mouse 2009, the program window opens but does not display the camera's view. A dialog box with the following information appears: "Application has generated an exception that could not be handled." What should I do?
The problem probably is that you are using a generic Windows driver for your webcam instead of the driver software designed by the manufacturer specifically for your camera or you are using an outdated driver. Best is to go to the webcam manufacturer's website and download and install the latest driver for your webcam. If that doesn't help, please email james.gips@bc.edu.
What resolution video does Camera Mouse 2009 use?
Camera Mouse 2009 uses whatever video resolution the webcam supplies for tracking. However as of version 3.0, Camera Mouse 2009 displays the video as 320x240 in the main window and 160x120 in the smaller window. Unless the webcam returns an image that is not proportioned 4 to 3, in which case the video will be displayed in the exact resolution supplied by the webcam and no smaller window will be available.
Version 2.0 of Camera Mouse 2009 was posted on December 7, 2008. What changes were made?
Camera Mouse 2009 version 2.0 makes a number of relatively minor changes: The Ctrl key is substituted for the Num Lock key as many keyboards (especially on notebook computers) no longer have a Num Lock key. The Camera Mouse program now shuts down cleanly if the webcam is disconnected. Saving settings now works again in Vista. The Logitech QuickCam window no longer pops up if Camera Mouse is run with a Logitech webcam. Thanks to Don Green and Matt McGowan for so kindly volunteering their time for the continued improvement of Camera Mouse.
How many downloads of Camera Mouse have there been?
This website was created in June 2007. In 2007 there were 3,000 downloads of the Camera Mouse program. In 2008 there were over 36,000 downloads. In 2009 downloads are averaging over 4,000 per month.
Can you point me to the website of a Camera Mouse user?
Sure. The website of Jacqui Rogers of Melbourne, Australia, is at http://www.jacquirogers.id.au
Version 2.1 of Camera Mouse 2009 was posted on February 9, 2009. What changes were made?
Version 2.1 should support Windows Vista 64 bit as well as Windows Vista 32 bit and Windows XP (with Service Pack 2 or 3).
Version 2.2 of Camera Mouse 2009 was posted on March 24, 2009. What changes were made?
The Camera Mouse User Manual should (again) be available by clicking on the Help button in the Settings window. Also, a Settings problem for users in Germany was fixed.
Version 2.3 of Camera Mouse 2009 was posted on April 29, 2009. What changes were made?
Version 2.3 should support Windows XP 64 bit as well as Windows Vista 32 bit, Windows Vista 64 bit, and Windows XP 32 bit (with Service Pack 2 or 3). Also, some cosmetic changes were made.
Version 3.0 of Camera Mouse 2009 was posted on July 24, 2009. What changes were made?
In response to the requests of users, we added a new smaller window that can be used to monitor tracking as Camera Mouse is used with another application. This window always will stay on top of any other application windows that are open. To change from one window to the other click on the button to the bottom right of the video. The Camera Mouse program can be minimized to run in the background but not be displayed from either window. In August we added a Verisign Microsoft Authenticode code signing certificate so the user is not confronted with an "Unknown Publisher" warning message when the program is installed.
