Announce: NEW. Switch Viacam 1.0

[Cesar Mauri <cesar crea-si com>]

What is it?
-----------
Switch Viacam (sViacam) is a webcam based switch emulator.

It's completely *free*, *open source* and *easy to use*.

Using a web camera, you can configure a particular spot in which motion 
is detected to trigger a mouse click or a keystroke.

Video: http://youtu.be/u5J5WIo5Hyc


Where can I get it?
-------------------
http://sviacam.sf.net

Sources: currently shares the same tree as SITPLUS project:
git://sitplus.git.sourceforge.net/gitroot/sitplus/sitplus


About the project
-----------------
Switch Viacam is intended for people who find very difficult or 
impossible to use common interactive devices (keyboard, mouse, joystick, 
etc..) because of their physical, and often cognitive, impairments.

Switch based interaction is used regularly when working with people with 
cerebral palsy, and typically requires the use of a mechanical switch 
and additional elements, such a mounting arm, to place it properly. The 
switch is connected to a computer which runs an application specially 
designed for this purpose.

Switch Viacam is intended to enrich the range of existing tools and its 
use is very convenient under certain working conditions. It has a number 
of advantages such as simplicity, since it does not require wires or 
other elements, flexibility, it allows to choose virtually any part of 
the body to work with, and low cost, requiring only a computer with a 
webcam.

The application, promoted by the Provincial Association of Cerebral 
Palsy (APPC) of Tarragona and partially funded by the Comisió URV 
Solidaria as part of their social Action Programme, has been developed 
by Cesar Mauri, who is also author of other human-computer interaction 
tools for people with disabilities such as Enable Viacam and SITPLUS.

Tests carried out in the APPC showed that the tool is very useful and 
effective, especially for physical rehabilitation activities. Isabel 
Ruiz, APPC physiotherapist, says: "It is very useful because we have 
succeeded in getting this guy stay standing, which is difficult for him 
because he had his spine operated and his erector muscles are still weak."