Software that allows Stephen Hawking talk is available … – Daily News – Lisbon

The ACAT system, used by the famous British physicist who suffers from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, will be able to be installed for free on any computer with Windows system .

The software created by Intel who voiced the scientist Stephen Hawking is now available at cost zero for those who need it. The system is called ACAT (assitive Context-Aware Toolkit) and makes the computer more accessible to people with disabilities. Now that the sftware was made free anyone with computer skills to build a system similar to the British physicist – or even develop something better

To build a system similar to Stephen Hawking a computer is required with. . Windows XP or higher (ACAT only works on Windows and there are predictions that is available for Apple computers or Linux systems)

With regard to the necessary hardware, is very simple: in addition to board sound, the only thing that is required is a camera, since the software uses facial movements as commands. In the case of Hawking is detected the movement of her cheek, the few muscles that the scientist, who suffers from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, can control.

According to the magazine Wired, Intel has been working on new sensors, including proximity sensors and others based on accelerometer and a 3D camera, which will enable new command entries.

“The purpose of making this free software is to enable researchers to easily create solutions accessibility and let them enjoy what we have built after years of effort. Our vision is to enable any researcher can bring added value to the software, sensory at the level of word prediction, etc., building from here without having to ‘ reinventing the wheel ‘, “said Lama Nachman, director of Anticipatory Computer Laboratory.

But it was already think of a better way to do a Stephen Hawking imitation than Howard in” The Theory Big Bang “…

… Will have to wait some more. For now, the software will only be available for some people with physical disabilities and then will be made available to universities, so that they can carry out research.