The MuseCursor is a desktop application that enables the user to control the computer's mouse cursor without having to use a mouse. It achieves this through the use of the Muse Headband, a new piece of wearable technology. Through the use of the Muse's accelerometers and a finite state machine we implemented ourselves, we are able to allow the user to control the mouse cursor using his head.
The MuseCursor is a proof-of-concept project created during Hack the Planet, and is therefore not meant for production. However, we had a goal and a target audience in mind when we undertook this development. The goal is simply to allow the handicapped to be able to user computers effectively. Having no arms, for example, is a huge handicap when using a computer, since this means not being able to use a keyboard or a mouse. The MuseCursor is meant to address this problem by enabling users to control the mouse cursor with their heads instead.
The following are the tools we used to develop this project:
- Muse Headband and Muse SDK
- Python
- PyGame
- Qt Framework
Currently, developing for the Muse is a difficult task due to the lack of development going on, which translates to a lack of documentation and a general lack of learning resources. Furthermore, setting up a developer workstation for the Muse can be a long and painful experience. The following is a list of resources that we found are useful for Muse development. We hope they will help you as they have helped us.
Official Muse Developer Resources: https://sites.google.com/a/interaxon.ca/muse-developer-site/
Setting up PyLiblo in Windows (only applies if you plan to develop software in Python): https://sites.google.com/a/interaxon.ca/muse-developer-site/