UniController

The UniController is a next generation HCI device which increases programmer productivity by 50% while reducing repetitive stress on the arms and wrists. By utilizing the Leap Motion controller and my own revolutionary software, you can move the mouse using just your mind and the UniController device which is attached to your mind. While your mind handles the mouse, your hands are both free to use the keyboard. This removes the wrist strain of using the mouse, and lets you avoid having to drag your entire hand all the way to the mouse and back. By typing with both hands while still using the mouse, you can interact with the computer 1.5x as fast!

UniController: Work Header, not Harder!

Demo video:



GitHub page:
UniController

Leap Motion Home:
Leap Motion

UniController headband:
Etsy page for the UniController headband

Prolonged use may cause chafing or irritation of the forehead. Discontinue use if you notice redness or abrasions. Do not allow glitter to contact abrasions. If glitter does become lodged in abrasions, wash in cold running water until glitter is cleared.

Ok, in all seriousness the current system isn't quite ready for production. There are a couple of big issues:

1) The Leap Motion software has difficulty categorizing the horn. The software does not interpret the horn as a Tool object, and instead interprets it as a Hand object and several Finger objects. This causes mouse jitteryness since the Finger models are jerking rapidly from place to place in order to try and fit the data. I think this miscategorization is happening because my horn is too wide and girthy. The Leap Motion software is expecting something closer to a pencil or chopstick, and so it mis-interprets my horn as 3-4 Fingers instead. A second and more minor issue is that the glitter on the horn seemed to confuse the Leap Motion sensor. I solved this problem by attaching some dull felt to the bottom of the horn.

2) The sensor-box for the Leap Motion is just a littttle too small for it to comfortably sense the horn. This might be less of a problem for shorter folks, but I felt like I constantly had to bend over to keep the horn in the sensor range. Even then I would often be just on the edge of the sensor range or would accidentally move the horn outside of it. You can place the Leap Motion sensor on a book to raise it up, but that interferes with your typing since the raised platform is right in between your hands. Another approach I tried was to attach the Leap Motion sensor to the monitor, so that the sensor was in the plane of the monitor and oriented out towards me. However, this just seemed to exacerbate the jitters from problem 1). If problem 1) gets better, then I might be able to solve problem 2) by re-orienting the sensor.