BT Balance
The BT Balance is a device that plugs into a USB port and uses software to control the screen via movement of the laptop. The technology, developed by British Telecom, is designed primarily to help the elderly, disabled or handicapped use a laptop without a mouse or touch pad. The BT Balance adapter is also designed with the field engineer in mind, where using a laptop in adverse weather conditions is necessary. The engineer would be able to wear gloves and manipulate his or her laptop without the use of the hands.

The BT Balance will enable users to navigate around their laptop by using one hand or no hands, similar to an Etch-A-Sketch. Adam Oliver, BT’s head of age and disability research says “We quickly realized that it could have other commercial applications such as someone needing to use their laptop in conditions where trying to type or manipulate a tiny keyboard is tricky, or where they are unable to use both hands, such as an engineer or technician working in the field needing to navigate quickly round maps or diagrams, or even someone just using their laptop on a crowded train.”

The technology works with motion sensors akin to detectors comprising Nintendo’s Wii Remote game controller. The software modifies feedback from the sensors into a set of instructions for the Windows user interface.

[via BBC Tech]

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