KMI SoftStep KeyWorx foot-operated computer emerges

KMI SoftStep KeyWorx

The extensive outreach of technology hasn’t just come up with newer innovations but it has been striving to offer accessibility to all. The new computing solution is yet another innovative product in the form of the KMI SoftStep KeyWorx foot-operated digital interface. Compatible with Mac and PC, it is said to prove useful to all, be it gamers, video editors, programmers, data entry professionals, disabled people, repetitive stress syndrome sufferers and others.

It is supposedly the first foot controlled digital interface ever and also claims to be of use to anyone who wants to use their computers in a faster way. This device is pressure and location sensitive and can remember up to 100 sets of commands.

“SoftStep KeyWorx is a revolutionary new access tool for people with disabilities. Its amazing breadth of customizability makes it useful for people with a wide range of computing needs, from simple Internet access to complex engineering design,” said Jane Berliss-Vincent of the Center for Accessible Technology on the Ed Roberts Campus, the world’s foremost disability center.

Bill Buxton, one of the pioneers in human–computer interface and principal researcher at Microsoft said, “Human beings will invest the time to learn a new interface device, if the payback is substantial enough. It is not that different from operating a car. A driver must work the gas and brake without looking down at their feet.”

The device is USB powered and its cursor control makes it comfortable for the user to rest their hands on the keyboard at any time with ease. It comes equipped with a blue backlight making it possible to see the device even in darkness. The product’s weight is about a pound which makes it portable to carry around. The lightness of this device comes from its advanced elastomeric and graphite composition.

The KMI SoftStep KeyWorx Foot-Operated computer can be bought online from almost all leading online retailers like Amazon.com, enablemart.com, and Disabledonline.com. It comes with a price tag of $289.95 (approx. Rs 13,022).