Browser based app with side layouts and bottom based keyboard
written November 18, 2011 by Kermit Komm
Category: Development Tags: AppBar, MTSAppBar, Dock, MTSDock #12
The IMG Developer's Kit has various examples and options, and one example shows off the AppBar shell interface that allows the default desktop size to be reduced automatically by an AppBar that can be positioned and sized at the top, bottom, or either side. (This acts somewhat like the taskbar - it reduces the area that a maximized window will fill on the desktop). This has been an example in the kit since 2007, and the capability goes back much further. But it adds an interesting resizing capability that is handled automatically by the system, and to people who do not know it exists, and who don't realize how simple and effective this can be for certain uses, it seems almost magical.
So when an OEM had to address a customer's need to work with a browser based solution, and needed custom boards, My-T-Soft® Build-A-Board came to mind. Once the requirements were specified, along with the need for several boards with 2 different orientations (side and bottom), the MTSAppBar (MTSAppBar from the IMG Developer's Kit) added the missing piece for building a comprehensive, effective interface. So with a few hours of tweaks, and changing the AppBar to size & position based on the selected layout, along with building layouts based on the customer's requirements, a simple, effective, and custom interface was created for the ruggedized system.
IMG will add this additional example to the MTSAppBar example in the Developer's Kit, and may provide some additional examples, as this capability provides some unique interface aspects - and so few people grasp the depth and infinite possibilities of My-T-Soft® Build-A-Board.
Rugged Tablet Mfr. adds IMG's low vision The Magnifier to its offerings
written October 18, 2011 by Jerry Hussong
Category: PR Tags: The Magnifier, IMG, Motion Computing, Rugged Tablet #11
Paso Robles, CA
Innovation Management Group, Inc. (IMG), the leading software developer of onscreen keyboards and pointing device utilities has signed an OEM Agreement with Motion Computing. Motion will offer IMG's The Magnifier software with its Rugged Tablets.
IMG's The Magnifier is considered the first truly affordable full screen magnifier software for Windows based computers. For over 10 years, The Magnifier has been a solid staple in IMG's Assistive Technology products division, which provides software to low vision and physically challenged individuals thru schools, institutions, and government agencies.
Unlike software that may be written as a part of an application or simple high level apps based in java, flash, or other tools, IMG's The Magnifier is written at the system's lowest level, which allows it to work with the Windows Operating System itself, as well as all other programs running under Windows or on the Internet. This gives the end user a solid, robust, and reliable low vision tool for use anywhere on their pc.
The Magnifier offers:
* Full Screen or Sizable Window with Auto-Positioning.
* 1x to 40x Magnifier for ALL Windows Applications in 1/10th percent increments.
* Automatic Operation/ Remarkably easy to use.
* Run Multiple Magnifiers on Multiple Monitors. Ideal in Commercial / Public Safety use
* "You Are Here" reference box. Requested by novice computer users!
* Magnifier Toolbar for quick access to major functions. Perfect for Library use.
* Cursor Locator with Animated Cross-hairs for help keeping track of the cursor.
* Works with Mouse and Arrow Keys.
For more information visit IMG's The Magnifier site www.themagnifier.us or www.imgpresents.com.
XP Embedded - a componentized operating system
written September 23, 2011 by Kermit Komm
Category: Development Tags: Build-A-Board, Macrobat, XP Embedded #10
An interesting support item shows off the componentized aspect of XP Embedded and low level support of keystrokes within Macrobat (The Macro Batch Processor component of IMG's Build-A-Board). A large corporate customer rolling out a POS type system reported a software problem from within Windows caused by using the @ symbol via the Key Action. Here is the background:
In order to make the Key Action property within Build-A-Board as intuitive and user-friendly as possible, simply specifying the desired symbol is supported. For punctuation, such as the @ or % or # symbols, you can simply match the Key Label and Key Action, and everything works fine. However, when you get down to the actual emulation of the keystroke, you will find there is no single keystroke / keyboard scancode that can generate these symbols - a whole lot of action takes place within the keyboard driver to process and parse keyboard events so that the user-interface matches the physical keyboard, and indeed, you must be in the Shift state to generate certain characters, e.g. it really is Shift-2 at the keystroke level to generate the @ symbol. (Interested parties can read-up on TranslateMessage and the WM_CHAR message for the way some of this is handled within Windows). Flipping it around the other way, there are API calls such as VkKeyScan and MapVirtualKey that can query the underlying keyboard driver to take a character and figure out what keystrokes are required. And things work great - up until you build a version of the OS that doesn't have (or fully support) certain API calls - which is something you can do within a componentized operating system such as XP Embedded.
One solution (and probably the best) would be to rebuild the OS with the required components. As you get close to roll-out time, however, doing something that far back in the chain is generally looked at as a really bad choice. There is also the cause and effect aspect. The problem occurs when the user types the @ symbol keystroke on My-T-Soft, ergo the problem is with My-T-Soft - (regardless that My-T-Soft works fine everywhere else but on this specific version of XP Embedded).
So how to fix the problem? Sometimes it helps to redefine the problem, or run through the issue backwards, so here goes... Macrobat is the Key Action processing part of My-T-Soft, and it generates the virtual key events (and can also perform other actions). So when you pass it an @ symbol, it needs to figure out the keystrokes necessary to generate this via scancodes, and the Windows API MapVirtualKey can do so. The Shift state of these punctuation symbols was the common thread, so some combination of the XP Embedded OS, Macrobat, and the handling with the Windows API calls for these shifted punctuation characters was the problem. (In digging deeper, a whole separate sequence of code within Macrobat gets called to handle older DOS apps when a shifted character is revealed by MapVirtualKey, and various other Windows APIs are called to facilitate this management - our guess it isn't the keyboard APIs, but some of this support code - but without this code, other customers running this version would experience shift issues in DOS apps (which is still an issue for legacy systems - even this year (2011) we've had 1 customer want Windows 3.1 support for a DOS app (sometimes the real world is quite different than marketing hype might lead you to believe!))).
So could the whole situation simply be avoided? Yes - simply specify the Key Action to be the more detailed, totally un-user-friendly actual keystrokes - e.g. instead of using just the "@" symbol, specify "[Shift-Down]2[Shift-Up]". Now Macrobat will never branch into the problem area, and will operate as intended!
But is there any downside? In this situation, not really. The reason the @ symbol by itself is preferred is two-fold - easier for the human, and more portable. In this case, portability is not an issue - this is the OS, and as long as the user gets an @ symbol typed with they press the @ key, all is well. Since the keyboard layout is custom, and specific to this project (and could always be changed via Build-A-Board), changing a handful of keystrokes to be expanded and more specific is acceptable. It resolves the issue, and prevents potentially serious timetable issues if a more drastic fix were to be required. The flexibility of breaking apart the user interface and the Key Action is a crucial engineering aspect of the My-T-Soft® Build-A-Board System, and this is an example of the underlying design of the software. The use of a flexibile componentized OS resulted in a problem, but the flexibility of Build-A-Board quickly resolved the issue.
Chesapeake Public Schools standardize on IMG's The Magnifier
written September 23, 2011 by J Hussong
Category: PR Tags: Chesapeake Public Schools, The Magnifier, IMG #9
The Chesapeake Public School District in the state of Virginia has standardized on Innovation Management Groups'
The Magnifier software program for all of its Windows based computers. It has purchased a District wide Enterprise License along with Annual Maintenance, which provides continuous updates and upgrades, allowing the district to roll the software out on its different Windows platforms and support new versions of Window based computers as they are purchased.
IMG's The Magnifier is the first truly affordable, full screen, magnifier for computers. It has been in use with low vision individuals for over 10 years. With recent updates to the software based on input from its user base of individuals, educators, and librarians, IMG has seen a marked increase in interest from school and library districts eager to make the software available to all of its constituents.
A major new feature of The Magnifier is a simple to use Menu Toolbar and "You Are Here" window that gives the user a few simple button choices and shows where the cursor is on the screen regardless of the scale of magnification. One of the button choices zero's out magnification so traditional users can work on the computer without ending the program. The next low vision user just sets their magnification needs and continues to work.
This new set of features has been embraced by schools and libraries because it virtually eliminates
questions and support requirements from new or unsavy computer users while providing just the right
amount of magnification each individual needs.
Innovation Management Group is the primary supplier of onscreen keyboard user interfaces and designer utilities for major automation, handheld, instrumentation, invehicle, kiosk, pen, rugged, tablet, touchscreen, ultra mobile, vehicle mount, voting, wearable, and whiteboard systems manufacturers, integrators, and users worlwide. IMG's products run 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, on some of the most secure, advanced, and critical systems in the world.
H.J. Heinz continues roll-out of IMG's My-T-Soft on-screen keyboard utilities
written September 15, 2011 by Jerry Hussong
Category: PR Tags: H.J. Heinz, My-T-Soft, on-screen keyboard #8
With 3 additional plants installing IMG' s My-T-Soft on-screen keyboard utilities, H.J. Heinz continues its roll-out and standardization on IMG's highly respected My-T-Soft program.
The My-T-Soft on-screen keyboard utility is considered by most major automation, industrial, rugged, tablet, touchscreen, and wearable systems manufacturers to be the standard in on-screen keyboard utilities. Written at the operating system level (not as a high level application), it has a repuation for being a highly stable, reliable, and versatile utility, fully integratable into any application environment via IMG's SDK Developers Integration Kit.
Innovation Management Group is the primary supplier of onscreen keyboard user interfaces and designer utilities for major automation, handheld, instrumentation, invehicle, kiosk, pen, rugged, tablet, touchscreen, ultra mobile, vehicle mount, voting, wearable, and whiteboard systems manufacturers, integrators, and users worlwide. IMG's products run 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, on some of the most secure, advanced, and critical systems in the world.
H.J. Heinz Company is the most global of all U.S. - based food companies. Famous for its iconic brands on six continents, Heinz provides foods for families in 200 countries around the world.
Enabling tools... Real world story of IMG's technology
written September 9, 2011 by Kermit Komm
Category: Development Tags: OnScreen, WordComplete, CrossScanner, Assistive Technology #7
OnScreen is the Assistive Technology version in the My-T-Soft® Family of on-screen virtual keyboards.
What this means is there are numerous specialty add-ons suggested by end-users, schools, therapists,
and assistive technology specialists. In practice, it makes the onscreen keyboard the primary text
input tool for users that cannot use a standard mouse or physical keyboard.
In the upcoming 1.79, and automatic highlight/speak feature
was requested by an occupational therapist working with an OnScreen user. Here is the story:
The subject has cerebral palsy and has just started high school. I started working with him as a toddler, but of
course he was not toddling around. He had a beautiful smile and we started working to get him to use his hands to play.
Unfortunately he had very little success doing this and so when we came across the program CrossScanner,
he was able to independently access a computer. WOW!!!
(CrossScanner (designed by RJ Cooper, developed by IMG) is a user access tool created so a single switch
can completely control all functions on a PC)
He now can whip through his computer to find the weather, play his favorite music, do research for school projects,
and send e-mails to friends and family. He has plans to go to college and establish a company with his father to
design software. When he recently received a new powered wheelchair with the capability of adding a mouse mover unit
he and his family went for it, and now he has successfully learned how to use it. So that is why we are so excited
that when using OnScreen with the WordComplete option with the mouse mover, there is now a way for the words to be
read automatically (he also has some visual limitations and so is more of an auditory "reader" and that is why
having the words read outloud automatically is very important for him). Everyone is amazed and so grateful,
and I do think this will be quite a plus for other OnScreen users.
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!
The features, options, and depth of the My-T-Soft® family of software is sometimes lost when quickly categorizing it as an onscreen keyboard. Luckily our customers and people who use it everyday are well aware of its capabilities.
My-T-Soft® 1.79 to incorporate new Touch Panel
written August 17, 2011 by Kermit Komm
Category: Development Tags: multitouch, gestures, flicks, touch panel #6
With Windows Vista and Windows 7 supporting multitouch touchscreen hardware, and providing various interfaces (multitouch, gestures, flicks, etc.), it made sense to find a way to support all interfaces while allowing full access to the My-T-Soft Family software, which includes IMG's My-T-Pen, My-T-Soft, My-T-Touch and
Build-A-Board Designer Tool) brand names. The solution is the new Touch Panel, available in the upcoming Version 1.79.
The obvious selection approach was to use a "Touch to Select" approach, but with 11 different individually selectable panels, there was no definitive spot available to use, so a new, side-mounted, selectable Touch Panel was created. This has 4 selections available - change theme, Multi-Touch, Gestures, and Normal. The several interfaces, in order to be as flexible as possible, are implemented in the new MultiTouchDLL (source code available in the IMG Developer's Kit).
The Normal operation supports the Tablet type Flicks - which can have up to 8 options (compass points and mid-compass points (diagonals)). There are 2 modes built in, with the default being a "move" action along the compass points, and any diagonal being a minimize action. This was deemed the most useful in usability testing. Because of the touch interface at the Operating System level, these are available along with the normal touchscreen interface. Being implemented at the DLL level, a Windows developer could implement their own functionality using the MultiTouchDLL source code within the IMG Developer's Kit.
The Multi-touch operation mode when selected supports multiple inputs on the keyboard panel, with the most useful being the touch & hold Shift/Control/Alt key support, more reminiscent of a physical keyboard than previously possible using older touchscreen technology (i.e. NOT multi-touch). This can easily be turned on and off using the new Touch Panel.
The funnest interface is the Gestures operation mode (default). This allows normal typing operation, but also incorporates Zoom (Pinch & stretch) to size the keyboard, and a unique implementation of the panning operation so the keyboard can be moved or "thrown" off the screen when not needed (a portion of the Touch Panel remains visible so the keyboard can be accessed immediately when needed - during development, it was quickly realized that gesturing the keyboard away was useful for some things, but having it fly away and disappear from sight, being totally inaccessible was NOT a good end-point. Fun to do, but not truly useful - but once again, the new Touch Panel offered the best and most flexible solution). The dual-finger Rotate gesture was tied back into the Themes, so it will change the theme of the keyboard when the rotate gesture is used.
The Themes is incorporated as an easy way to view different approaches to the keyboard "view", and built-in themes allow a quick way to see and select a visually appealing theme. Ever since Release 2, there were ways for end-users to change the look of the keys, but due to its complexity, most users never even realized this. So we realized we needed to show off this capability in as straightforward a manner as possible, so a quick Theme change does the trick. There are various views built-in, and we anticipate adding more over time, but the key is it readily shows the concept & ease at which a new "look" can be implemented.
With many customers still remaining in XP, and running older hardware that is not multi-touch ready, there has not been a great demand for the multi-touch capability, but it will now be available in the next maintenance update for 1.78 users.
CSX licenses IMG's My-T-Soft® On screen Keyboard Utilities company wide
written June 10, 2011 by Jerry Hussong
Category: PR Tags: CSX, My-T-Soft, on screen keyboard, virtual keyboard #5
CSX has signed a company-wide Enterprise License Agreement for IMG's My-T-Soft Onscreen Keyboard Utilities. The primary use will be on new Panasonic touch based tablets in CSX's locomotives, replacing a mixture of older tablets and rugged pc's that also contained My-T-Soft.
CSX also saw potential in using My-T-Soft on its other pen, rugged, tablet pc, and touchscreen based systems throughout its organization and chose to purchase an Enterprise License for that purpose.
The system purchase was managed thru IMG and Panasonic authorized integrator, Zones Corp, who will also provide continued support under Panasonic's warranty and IMG's Annual Software Maintenance Agreement.
CSX is a leading rail transportation and logistics company throughout North America.
Innovation Management Group is the primary supplier of onscreen keyboard user interfaces and designer utilities for major automation, handheld, instrumentation, invehicle, kiosk, pen, rugged, tablet, touchscreen, ultra mobile, vehicle mount, voting, wearable, and whiteboard systems manufacturers, integrators, and users worlwide. IMG's products run 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, on some of the most secure, advanced, and critical systems in the world.
Panasonic is a leading manufacturer of the Toughbook series of rugged notebooks and tablets.
British Columbia Ambulance Services standardizes on IMG's My-T-Soft® Build-A-Board On screen Keyboard User Interface
written June 3, 2011 by Jerry Hussong
Category: PR Tags: BC Ambulance, on screen keyboard, virtual keyboard #4
BC Ambulance, the primary provider of ambulance services in the province of British Columbia, Canada, has licenses IMG's My-T-Soft / Build-A-Board On-screen Keyboard User Interface System to create and roll-out custom keypad, keyboard, and user control panels for integration into its public safety systems.
Innovation Management Group is the primary supplier of onscreen keyboard user interfaces and designer utilities for major automation, handheld, instrumentation, invehicle, kiosk, pen, rugged, tablet, touchscreen, ultra mobile, vehicle mount, voting, wearable, and whiteboard systems manufacturers, integrators, and users worlwide. IMG's products run 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, on some of the most secure, advanced, and critical systems in the world.
The Magnifier - The First Truly Affordable Full Screen Computer Software Magnifier
written January 6, 2011 by Jerry Hussong
Category: PR Tags: The Magnifier, Screen Magnifier, Computer Magnifier #3
With over 10 years of growing success, IMG has recently delivered a major update to add
support for Windows 7 and to add features requested by both individual and institutional users
without adding to the cost of the software.
A Floating Menu Toolbar option was added, among other features, to help
The Magnifiers' Library, School, and Senior Computer Community Center patrons quickly select magnification and often used features without having to hunt for them or ask for help. The Menu Toolbar has the was specifically designed to help minimize support interaction by librarians, IT personnel, and helpers at the community computer centers.
The Magnifier still sells for only $49.95 for an individual license. A demo download can be
tested for up to 100 hours (1 hour at a time) prior to purchase. Other options include a DVD
in Retail Packaging (ideal for Resellers) and on an "Insert and Go Anywhere" USB drive.
The "Insert and Go Anywhere" allows anyone to use The Magnifier at home, work, school,
or virtually anywhere there's a Windows computer.
The Magnifier has its own website at: http://www.themagnifier.us or it can be found at: http://www.imgpresents.com
Innovation Management Group is the primary supplier of onscreen keyboard user interfaces and designer utilities for major automation, handheld, instrumentation, invehicle, kiosk, pen, rugged, tablet, touchscreen, ultra mobile, vehicle mount, voting, wearable, and whiteboard systems manufacturers, integrators, and users worlwide. IMG's products run 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, on some of the most secure, advanced, and critical systems in the world.
ELO Touchsystems renews IMG's My-T-Touch® On screen Keyboard Utilities for All-In-One PC
written January 1, 2011 by Jerry Hussong
Category: PR Tags: ELO Touchsystems, My-T-Touch, onscreen keyboard, on screen keyboard, all-in-one pc #2
With over 6 years in their successful partnership, ELO Touchsystems and IMG have renewed an
OEM Software Agreement for bundling IMG's My-T-Touch On-screen Keyboard Utilities with ELO's All-In-One PC.
Innovation Management Group is the primary supplier of onscreen keyboard user interfaces and designer utilities for major automation, handheld, instrumentation, invehicle, kiosk, pen, rugged, tablet, touchscreen, ultra mobile, vehicle mount, voting, wearable, and whiteboard systems manufacturers, integrators, and users worlwide. IMG's products run 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, on some of the most secure, advanced, and critical systems in the world.
ELO Touchsystems, a unit of Tyco Electronics, pioneered touchscreen technology, helping create an entire industry using touch as a simplified interface between computers and people.
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My-T-Soft for Linux 2.20 Release 22 now available!
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Kermit Komm
Category: Development
Tags: My-T-Soft; Linux;
Major National Trucking Company uses My-T-Soft® on thousands of tablets
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Tracy Chang
Category: PR
Tags: My-T-Soft; Build-A-Board;
25+ Years of Innovations in On-Screen Keyboard Interface, How IMG Ensures Security and Productivity Across Industries
January 19, 2023
Tracy Chang
Category: PR
Tags: My-T-Soft; Build-A-Board; Security; Productivity;
Major National Retailer uses My-T-Soft® to bridge user interface from Windows to Linux
December 28, 2022
Tracy Chang
Category: PR
Tags: My-T-Soft; Build-A-Board; Linux;
My-T-Soft® updates rolled into GE Digital iFIX 6.1
November 28, 2022
Tracy Chang
Category: PR
Tags: My-T-Soft 1.90 Release 5; iFIX
Build-A-Board 2.20 Release 7 & My-T-Soft Basic 2.20 Release 12
August 26, 2022
Kermit Komm
Category: Development
Tags: My-T-Soft; My-T-Soft Basic; Build-A-Board
My-T-Soft for Linux 2.20 Release 16 now available!
August 10, 2022
Kermit Komm
Category: Development
Tags: My-T-Soft; Linux;
IMG is pleased to announce that My-T-Soft® 1.90 Release 5 is now available
May 31, 2022
Kermit Komm
Category: PR
Tags: My-T-Soft 1.90 Release 5
The Magnifier support - software vs. hardware
January 10, 2022
Alex S.
Category: Development
Tags: The Magnifier; Support; Video
Browser based app with side layouts and bottom based keyboard
November 18, 2011
Kermit Komm
Category: Development
Tags: AppBar, MTSAppBar, Dock, MTSDock
Rugged Tablet Mfr. adds IMG's low vision The Magnifier to its offerings
October 18, 2011
Jerry Hussong
Category: PR
Tags: The Magnifier, IMG, Motion Computing, Rugged Tablet
XP Embedded - a componentized operating system
September 23, 2011
Kermit Komm
Category: Development
Tags: Build-A-Board, Macrobat, XP Embedded
Chesapeake Public Schools standardize on IMG's The Magnifier
September 23, 2011
J Hussong
Category: PR
Tags: Chesapeake Public Schools, The Magnifier, IMG
H.J. Heinz continues roll-out of IMG's My-T-Soft on-screen keyboard utilities
September 15, 2011
Jerry Hussong
Category: PR
Tags: H.J. Heinz, My-T-Soft, on-screen keyboard
Enabling tools... Real world story of IMG's technology
September 9, 2011
Kermit Komm
Category: Development
Tags: OnScreen, WordComplete, CrossScanner, Assistive Technology
My-T-Soft® 1.79 to incorporate new Touch Panel
August 17, 2011
Kermit Komm
Category: Development
Tags: multitouch, gestures, flicks, touch panel
CSX licenses IMG's My-T-Soft® On screen Keyboard Utilities company wide
June 10, 2011
Jerry Hussong
Category: PR
Tags: CSX, My-T-Soft, on screen keyboard, virtual keyboard
British Columbia Ambulance Services standardizes on IMG's My-T-Soft® Build-A-Board On screen Keyboard User Interface
June 3, 2011
Jerry Hussong
Category: PR
Tags: BC Ambulance, on screen keyboard, virtual keyboard
The Magnifier - The First Truly Affordable Full Screen Computer Software Magnifier
January 6, 2011
Jerry Hussong
Category: PR
Tags: The Magnifier, Screen Magnifier, Computer Magnifier
ELO Touchsystems renews IMG's My-T-Touch® On screen Keyboard Utilities for All-In-One PC
January 1, 2011
Jerry Hussong
Category: PR
Tags: ELO Touchsystems, My-T-Touch, onscreen keyboard, on screen keyboard, all-in-one pc
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