[senit] New Switch (Optimus Mini)

This thing looks brilliant, thanks Simon.

It is way more than a switch, like you say Simon, and must have loads of
SEN/AAC/Access potential...  Be really interested in any results you get
from playing with it.

Note too, that they have an API - a way of programmers making 'plugins' to
make it do what you want...  So we could try get some open source plug ins
made if people can think of things it could do. E.g.

 - Load 3*1 clicker/saw grids and present the symbol options
 - Act as a simple 3 symbol communication device
 - Provide the options for some simple games...
 - Use it to choose between songs on iTunes (they've already done this!) for
leisure...
Er?

Cheers.

Simon

-----Original Message-----
From: senit-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk
[mailto:senit-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk] On Behalf Of Simon Evans
Sent: Wednesday, December 20, 2006 2:08 PM
To: sld-forum at lists.becta.org.uk; senit at lists.becta.org.uk
Subject: [senit] New Switch (Optimus Mini)

Hi,

(no commercial interest in this at all - wish I had though!)

Just received one of these today and am quite excited by the possibilities
for switch users....

http://www.artlebedev.com/everything/optimus-mini/

It’s a 3 switch panel, each switch being a chunky bright colour OLED panel
which can show a still image or animation at a few frames a second. It plugs
straight in to a USB port and there's software for Mac and Windows. The
bundled software allows programming of layouts and is application smart so
depending on the application you are in the button functions and images
change (and are programmable). 

Functions range from a simple iconised button which sends a keypress/combo
to a moving display like a realtime clock or feedback such as track info
from itunes or mediaplayer. To program it you simply select an application
you want to use it in then drag and drop the functions from a pre-defined
list (eg send a key combination, launch an application, print etc) into a
graphical display in the setup software so its really easy to program. 

Its around £100 quid but that’s not bad compared to cost of 3 switches and a
USB interface. Heartily recommend people check one out, its polycarbonate
and ABS and looks quite well made, remains to be seen how well it will stand
up to abuse I guess. Its aimed pretty squarely at gadgeteers but straight
out of the box it has a million and one uses in the SEN field.

Some of their other work in progress looks equally interesting, the
Upravlator in particular.

Simon

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