http://www.librivox.org

Switch access to technology: A comprehensive guide by David Colven and Simon Judge is an excellent overview of the issues around using switches to control computers and other devices.

The main subject of this freely downloadable pdf document is the switch user. The document aims to encourage developers to include switch access into their products, and standardise practice and terminology. It explains some of the issues involved for people with severe physical difficulties who access computers and other electronic devices with switches. It details the ways in which switch users interact with computer programs and other technology designed to be directly accessible to them. It also attempts to survey the whole range of issues associated with switch use.

I should investigate progress in simple face detection methods. These could be the basis of a simple head-switch.

Fast and efficient algorithm for face detection in colour images

Real Time Eye Tracking and Blink Detection with USB Cameras.

The facedetect demo in OpenCV looks useful.

CamTrack has similar goals, using the mean-shift algorithm. Thus page on CamShift looks useful. This one too. Object Tracking Using CamShift Algorithm and Multiple Quantized Feature Spaces Head-tracking pointer at IBM looks interesting.

Efficient Face Tracking for User Interfaces

WATSON: Real-time Head Tracking and Gesture Recognition

Could be applied to lots of Linux apps. http://sourceforge.net/forum/message.php?msg_id=3874468

Step 1 - Downloads ------------------ Download and install vmplayer (free virtual machine software) http://www.vmware.com/products/player/ Download and unzip Browser-Application (free Ubuntu image with Firefox) http://www.vmware.com/vmtn/appliances/directory/browserapp.html Step 2 - Run ------------ Run vmplayer, select Browser-Appliance.vmx Step 3 - Install Packages -------------------------- Menubar -> System -> Administration -> Synaptic Package Manager (password: vmware) Search for lush, mark lush package for installation Search for build-essential, mark build-essential package for installation Click Apply That's it! vmplayer will also save any changes back to the image file.

TC sent this link to cheap Donkey Kong Bongos. If we can figure out how to interface to USB these could be cool for a music game.