visual aid

[kengr]

I've got a visually impaired friend. She can use the computer mostly ok, but one of the more annoying things (other than programs that won't let her enlarge text enough) is that she can't see the indicator lights on the keyboard.

It occurred to me that it ought to be fairly simple to build a gizmo (maybe from a busted keyboard) that'd just be a small box with three (different colored) super bright LEDs that plugged into a spare USB port. Having buttons that acted like the three lock keys just under the LEDs would be nice, but not necessary.

Any of the geeks reading this think you could kludge something like this together?

Comments

[siegeengine.livejournal.com]

I don't have the skills to do anything like this, but I was thinking that it might be easier to just mod a keyboard, and take out the weak, internal leds and replace them with larger, brighter externally mounted leds. I'm not entirely sure if the voltage difference would be a problem, though.

[siegeengine.livejournal.com]

maybe if you look under "Wii mods" or something...
every time I try to look up anything about the Wii, it involves sticking blue leds all over the remote or the stand, or your tv, or your cats or something. Making your cats light up to Super Mario Galaxy just seems like going too far, doesn't it?

[kraddster.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure if you have already tried this, but Windows XP has an Accessibility Wizard that includes a form of Zoom Text or Magnifier and Sticky Keys which allow you to turn the Shift, Ctrl, Alt key into a toggled on/off mode.

I hope this helps

[kengr]

The problem isn't one that those would solve. She uses the magnifier sometimes (though it's a pain to use a lot of the time). And Sticky keys is the exact opposite of a solution.

She'd just like to be able to tell what state the three "lock" keys are in "at a glance".