© Copyright 2003: Indian Express Group (Mumbai, India).

How do you operate a computer with a single button? Ask Stephen Hawking. Or better still, ask the small but determined group of Indian techies who helped him overcome his handicap with the help of software. Frederick Noronha reports

Dr Stephen Hawking is arguably the most famous physicist since Albert Einstein. Most of us are familiar with his predicament, a brilliant mind trapped in a body that’s wasting away. It’s heartening to learn that Hawking is now operating a computer with a single button using software developed by a small group of Indian techies. Aptly named eLocuter, this software supports the usual text editing functions. However, since input takes place through a single button, an innovative approach was required to provide these facilities.

“eLocuter tries to predict what the user wishes to type or do next,” explains Dr Arun Mehta of Delhi, who together with his colleague and friend at the radiophony.com network—Vickram Crishna of Mumbai—to put together this innovative tool.

“He met several software companies when he came to India last, requesting them to write this software for him. We felt that it was a privilege to be able to help such an eminent person,” says the Delhi-based IIT-alumnus Dr Arun Mehta.

Announcing what they call the ‘Hawkings Project’—after the world-renowned but wheelchair-bound astro-physicist—on the Net recently, the radiophony.com team believe that this new speech synthesiser has the potential to serve people “challenged by current computer interfaces.”

As it is Free / Libre and open source software, they have invited others who are interested to pitch in. Says a team member, “The intended beneficiary is Prof Stephen Hawking of the University of Cambridge, UK, but we expect that thousands of people will find this software to be useful and productive.”

Professor Hawking suffers from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) (also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease). This disease leaves its victims unable to use their limbs and voice, hence the need for a more inclusive interface design.

Said Mehta, “The use of off-the-shelf computer hardware to generate voice from text inputs results in an inexpensive and low-maintenance solution. That is why we decided to develop the application on Microsoft Windows, GNU/Linux and MacOS initially. Subsequently we will focus on handheld platforms such as PalmOS and Microsoft PocketPC.”

Missing source

Prof Hawking has been using a DOS-based solution developed in 1987. While it was a well-designed product, it has not been able to keep up with the capabilities of modern computing devices. Things that we take for granted, such as cut-and-paste and undo, weren’t supported. This made it difficult for someone with limited control to work at reasonable speeds. To make things worse, the source code for this software is unavailable, the product cannot be maintained or modified.

Mehta says he met Prof Hawking several times to show him the software as it grew, and obtained feedback from him. Hawking “always took time from a very busy schedule to help us”, he says.

But the radiophony.com duo, who made a name promoting the cause of community radio, and highlighting the potential radio has in an illiteracy-prone country such as India, are dreaming big. Mehta argues that the combination of radio and the Internet will make a huge difference, for radio can reach the poorest, and the Internet can be used to feed quality content to radio.

“We believe that access to a computer and the Net can make a critical difference in the lives of the disabled. Once they overcome this communication hurdle, they have access to world-class education, and work that can be conducted over the Internet,” argues Mehta.

Access to support groups is crucial. The duo have a realistic plan. For a start, they would like to make this solution as affordable as possible. Once the disabled take to the Internet in large numbers, they see a market for additional tasks that the computer can help them perform—move, switch things on and off, and so on. Mehta says, “We intend to be serious players in that space.”

Incidentally, Professor Hawking’s old software could not be modified, because the source code had been lost. That is why new software needed to be written. To make his life easier, Indian techies promised him that this would never happen again. To that end, they have made this a Free/Libre and Open Source Software (FLOSS) project.

Software for the disabled

“The software is great for the orthopaedically-challenged— those with spinal injuries, carpal tunnel etc. Since it needs only a single input to work, it can be used by people with the most serious disabilities,” states Mehta. “We are hoping to make this project the basis of a platform to develop software for people with all kinds of disabilities.”

Technologists like these, with a social vision attached to their tech skills, see the computer helping the handicapped in less affluent countries.

Mehta has himself been working with computers since 1971, when he was a student at IIT Delhi. His early exposure to computers was a result of a student programmer scheme started by Professor PCP Bhatt. “There are few activities that match programming in sheer creative potential. On the Internet, programmers can claim to have changed the world. You can make a decent living from it as well,” says he.

What does he see as the three most important fields where Indian skills should be focussed upon? Mehta says, “Mobile phone applications, particularly m-commerce, and the integration of desktop and mobile apps. Secondly, industrial and home applications, including automation and networking. Thirdly, games, particularly for an older population.”

His regret is that the quality of programmers churned out by India’s education system is poor. “Those who develop programming skills pretty much learn by themselves, or from their peers. The state of computer education particularly in our schools needs urgent attention, what is taught is horrific and by people with poor skills,” he says.

Mehta is known for GO! (Graphic Overview), software that involved the design and implementation of a programming language significantly simplifying the hooking up of a PC to any intelligent machine, and the automation of associated tasks, including interface management, data filtering, dynamic graphic displays, alarm annunciation, trend curves, archiving and virtual control desk design. This software was written about in Byte (US, October 1990), and Laboratory Equipment Digest (UK, May 1991).Dr Stephen Hawking is arguably the most famous physicist since Albert Einstein. Most of us are familiar with his predicament, a brilliant mind trapped in a body that’s wasting away. It’s heartening to learn that Hawking is now operating a computer with a single button using software developed by a small group of Indian techies. Aptly named eLocuter, this software supports the usual text editing functions. However, since input takes place through a single button, an innovative approach was required to provide these facilities.

“eLocuter tries to predict what the user wishes to type or do next,” explains Dr Arun Mehta of Delhi, who together with his colleague and friend at the radiophony.com network—Vickram Crishna of Mumbai—to put together this innovative tool.

“He met several software companies when he came to India last, requesting them to write this software for him. We felt that it was a privilege to be able to help such an eminent person,” says the Delhi-based IIT-alumnus Dr Arun Mehta.

Announcing what they call the ‘Hawkings Project’—after the world-renowned but wheelchair-bound astro-physicist—on the Net recently, the radiophony.com team believe that this new speech synthesiser has the potential to serve people “challenged by current computer interfaces.”

As it is Free / Libre and open source software, they have invited others who are interested to pitch in. Says a team member, “The intended beneficiary is Prof Stephen Hawking of the University of Cambridge, UK, but we expect that thousands of people will find this software to be useful and productive.”

Professor Hawking suffers from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) (also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease). This disease leaves its victims unable to use their limbs and voice, hence the need for a more inclusive interface design.

Said Mehta, “The use of off-the-shelf computer hardware to generate voice from text inputs results in an inexpensive and low-maintenance solution. That is why we decided to develop the application on Microsoft Windows, GNU/Linux and MacOS initially. Subsequently we will focus on handheld platforms such as PalmOS and Microsoft PocketPC.”

Missing source

Prof Hawking has been using a DOS-based solution developed in 1987. While it was a well-designed product, it has not been able to keep up with the capabilities of modern computing devices. Things that we take for granted, such as cut-and-paste and undo, weren’t supported. This made it difficult for someone with limited control to work at reasonable speeds. To make things worse, the source code for this software is unavailable, the product cannot be maintained or modified.

Mehta says he met Prof Hawking several times to show him the software as it grew, and obtained feedback from him. Hawking “always took time from a very busy schedule to help us”, he says.

But the radiophony.com duo, who made a name promoting the cause of community radio, and highlighting the potential radio has in an illiteracy-prone country such as India, are dreaming big. Mehta argues that the combination of radio and the Internet will make a huge difference, for radio can reach the poorest, and the Internet can be used to feed quality content to radio.

“We believe that access to a computer and the Net can make a critical difference in the lives of the disabled. Once they overcome this communication hurdle, they have access to world-class education, and work that can be conducted over the Internet,” argues Mehta.

Access to support groups is crucial. The duo have a realistic plan. For a start, they would like to make this solution as affordable as possible. Once the disabled take to the Internet in large numbers, they see a market for additional tasks that the computer can help them perform—move, switch things on and off, and so on. Mehta says, “We intend to be serious players in that space.”

Incidentally, Professor Hawking’s old software could not be modified, because the source code had been lost. That is why new software needed to be written. To make his life easier, Indian techies promised him that this would never happen again. To that end, they have made this a Free/Libre and Open Source Software (FLOSS) project.

Software for the disabled

“The software is great for the orthopaedically-challenged— those with spinal injuries, carpal tunnel etc. Since it needs only a single input to work, it can be used by people with the most serious disabilities,” states Mehta. “We are hoping to make this project the basis of a platform to develop software for people with all kinds of disabilities.”

Technologists like these, with a social vision attached to their tech skills, see the computer helping the handicapped in less affluent countries.

Mehta has himself been working with computers since 1971, when he was a student at IIT Delhi. His early exposure to computers was a result of a student programmer scheme started by Professor PCP Bhatt. “There are few activities that match programming in sheer creative potential. On the Internet, programmers can claim to have changed the world. You can make a decent living from it as well,” says he.

What does he see as the three most important fields where Indian skills should be focussed upon? Mehta says, “Mobile phone applications, particularly m-commerce, and the integration of desktop and mobile apps. Secondly, industrial and home applications, including automation and networking. Thirdly, games, particularly for an older population.”

His regret is that the quality of programmers churned out by India’s education system is poor. “Those who develop programming skills pretty much learn by themselves, or from their peers. The state of computer education particularly in our schools needs urgent attention, what is taught is horrific and by people with poor skills,” he says.