How to live handsfree
February 5, 2024 5:04 PM Subscribe
I need to avoid using my hands with my phone or tablet as much as possible, due to... I think it's RSI, but some sort of pain I'm still investigating. I have Apple products and find that the voice control is excellent, but how exactly do people do this?
It takes five times as long! I do so much on my phone while I'm commuting or waiting - shop, book appointments, emails... how do you have enough time in your day to do other things when you have to do all this at home on your ergonomically set up computer?
How does it work in the workplace? I'd like to hear any experiences people have of using voice at a computer job.
What is the etiquette of voice control? Is it rude to use it on public transit? Am I being a jerk if I want to show someone a photo or look something up and I make them wait as long as it takes to pull something up with voice? I feel like it would be fine if you were a person with no hands, but I can use mine, it just hurts and I have no idea how much permanent damage I may or may not be doing.
Has anyone ever overheard you doing something on your phone you were trying to do privately?
Using a phone is a socially acceptable way to fidget in public. Has anyone found a good replacement?
Other tips?
It takes five times as long! I do so much on my phone while I'm commuting or waiting - shop, book appointments, emails... how do you have enough time in your day to do other things when you have to do all this at home on your ergonomically set up computer?
How does it work in the workplace? I'd like to hear any experiences people have of using voice at a computer job.
What is the etiquette of voice control? Is it rude to use it on public transit? Am I being a jerk if I want to show someone a photo or look something up and I make them wait as long as it takes to pull something up with voice? I feel like it would be fine if you were a person with no hands, but I can use mine, it just hurts and I have no idea how much permanent damage I may or may not be doing.
Has anyone ever overheard you doing something on your phone you were trying to do privately?
Using a phone is a socially acceptable way to fidget in public. Has anyone found a good replacement?
Other tips?
I have similar issues and just try to tackle the problem at the source when it flares up: I use my phone less, and use it more ergonomically when I do. This is also usually better for my mental health, ymmv.
Things you can do on the bus instead:
Read a book. Read a magazine. Do a crossword or sudoku. Or chess puzzles.Draw in a small sketchbook. Do those formulaic doodles like zen tangle or Celtic knots. Knit or crochet. Practice pen tricks. Or coin manipulations. Learn Rubik's cube. Do solo cat's cradle. There's lots of stuff out there, search AskMe for related previous questions with lots more suggestions for phone-free ways to pass the time.
posted by SaltySalticid at 5:35 PM on February 5 [2 favorites]
Things you can do on the bus instead:
Read a book. Read a magazine. Do a crossword or sudoku. Or chess puzzles.Draw in a small sketchbook. Do those formulaic doodles like zen tangle or Celtic knots. Knit or crochet. Practice pen tricks. Or coin manipulations. Learn Rubik's cube. Do solo cat's cradle. There's lots of stuff out there, search AskMe for related previous questions with lots more suggestions for phone-free ways to pass the time.
posted by SaltySalticid at 5:35 PM on February 5 [2 favorites]
>> Am I being a jerk if I want to show someone a photo or look something up and I make them wait as long as it takes to pull something up with voice?
No, you're not being a jerk. You're just doing a thing that modern primates are really not good at -- you're trying to take care of yourself, and you and your body deserve that. Anyone who has a problem with whatever you might do to take care of yourself.... it's *their* problem, not yours. Screw etiquette. And microphones these days are crazy sensitive, I'll bet that if you hold it close to your mouth and speak barely above a whisper, it'll take.
>> but I can use mine, it just hurts and I have no idea how much permanent damage I may or may not be doing.
the 'just' should be removed from that sentence and, if I may, line of thinking. Pain is real. Pain is you're body's way of getting you to pay attention to things that are important and are in a state which can't be ignored any longer. Pain is you're body's way of saying, "Do you want to have this function when you're 50? Then pay attention."
I ignored pain due to repetitive strain for 30 years. What that all led up to... really sucks, and even now I find myself slipping back into bad habits. But when I attend to it, it does help. If you can start today, start today, and start every day afterwards going forward.
2nding the bracing. I *highly* doubted my PT that it would work, but it did. You know what works better? Rest. Actual intentional scheduled rest, regardless of whether i'm in pain. Prophylactic reset. It also taught me that like 50% of what I felt I had to use my phone/computer for, I could get by without doing, just fine.
Find a PT. There are ways that strengthening and stretching can help use use our bodies in ways that contribute less to RSI. Maybe not a substitute for rest and alternative motions, but could help.
I have more to say but my hands and arms are hurting so I shall listen to my own damn advice. Good onya for reaching out with an AskMe. Never suffer in silence.
posted by jerome powell buys his sweatbands in bulk only at 5:57 PM on February 5 [7 favorites]
No, you're not being a jerk. You're just doing a thing that modern primates are really not good at -- you're trying to take care of yourself, and you and your body deserve that. Anyone who has a problem with whatever you might do to take care of yourself.... it's *their* problem, not yours. Screw etiquette. And microphones these days are crazy sensitive, I'll bet that if you hold it close to your mouth and speak barely above a whisper, it'll take.
>> but I can use mine, it just hurts and I have no idea how much permanent damage I may or may not be doing.
the 'just' should be removed from that sentence and, if I may, line of thinking. Pain is real. Pain is you're body's way of getting you to pay attention to things that are important and are in a state which can't be ignored any longer. Pain is you're body's way of saying, "Do you want to have this function when you're 50? Then pay attention."
I ignored pain due to repetitive strain for 30 years. What that all led up to... really sucks, and even now I find myself slipping back into bad habits. But when I attend to it, it does help. If you can start today, start today, and start every day afterwards going forward.
2nding the bracing. I *highly* doubted my PT that it would work, but it did. You know what works better? Rest. Actual intentional scheduled rest, regardless of whether i'm in pain. Prophylactic reset. It also taught me that like 50% of what I felt I had to use my phone/computer for, I could get by without doing, just fine.
Find a PT. There are ways that strengthening and stretching can help use use our bodies in ways that contribute less to RSI. Maybe not a substitute for rest and alternative motions, but could help.
I have more to say but my hands and arms are hurting so I shall listen to my own damn advice. Good onya for reaching out with an AskMe. Never suffer in silence.
posted by jerome powell buys his sweatbands in bulk only at 5:57 PM on February 5 [7 favorites]
Pain is a disability, too. The difference is that pain is invisible to others, and they will judge you. Hopefully you can make some peace with that, because it isn't their business, so screw them if they do. Maybe wearing a brace on your wrists would make you more comfortable in public.
As for using it in public, I personally think people having their phones making repeated noise in public is rude in cases like playing audio or using speakerphone. However, you talking to your phone and it responding with a single word or beep is not rude to me. It is not rude to take extra time finding something on your phone, either. I would practice with the volume options to see how low you can make it but still hear it on a loud bus.
posted by soelo at 6:03 PM on February 5 [1 favorite]
As for using it in public, I personally think people having their phones making repeated noise in public is rude in cases like playing audio or using speakerphone. However, you talking to your phone and it responding with a single word or beep is not rude to me. It is not rude to take extra time finding something on your phone, either. I would practice with the volume options to see how low you can make it but still hear it on a loud bus.
posted by soelo at 6:03 PM on February 5 [1 favorite]
Also, you can wear headphones and use voice control if your concern is the phone noises and not what you are saying. Last suggestion is to carry a small stylus for times that you really need to touch the screen.
posted by soelo at 6:04 PM on February 5 [1 favorite]
posted by soelo at 6:04 PM on February 5 [1 favorite]
You can activate Siri via the earbuds, and have all the commands and control that it offers you over your phone. You can also tag your photos and call them up with those tags.
posted by rhizome at 9:08 PM on February 5
posted by rhizome at 9:08 PM on February 5
Instead of voice control you can have a look at eye tracking software. When I had this problem I checked it out but there were no good solutions. Nowadays it seems to be built naitively into windows. I also bought a very small mouse I could hold in my hand and started using my other hand.
posted by SweetLiesOfBokonon at 5:14 AM on February 6
posted by SweetLiesOfBokonon at 5:14 AM on February 6
Just did a bit of research and of course apple also does this, here is a quote from a relevant reddit post:
Accessibility features are built into macOS, and have improved in recent releases. In the latest version, Sonoma, I can, and I am, currently using these features to compose this reply to you. I am using voice dictation to dictate this text. I am controlling the movement of the mouse by using a Webcam attached to the top of my monitor, and I can click the mouse by making a facial expression. You Can read more on the Apple documentation site.
For text entry, I use an on-screen keyboard. I have it set to appear or disappear when I move the mouse pointer to one of the four corners of the screens, which I enable as hot corners. I make sure to have accessibility enabled at login so that I can also display the screen when entering my logon password.
The system works flawlessly so long as there is sufficient lighting, and I am not sitting too close to the computer. It will in fact work even when I am sitting halfway across the room. As a result, I make sure I disable alternate pointer control when I move away from the computer, so that I don't get random clicks while doing other things in the room.
The system has worked pretty much 100% well. Only once has the Webcam inexplicably turned off, which required me to reboot the computer by voice control, using a smart plug attached to the power supply for the Mac. To avoid having to reboot, I installed a client – server, software, called remote, mouse, available from the App Store. Client apps are available for iPhone and Android devices. This can be used as a back-up pointer control, and mouse clicker in fact.
posted by SweetLiesOfBokonon at 5:29 AM on February 6 [3 favorites]
Accessibility features are built into macOS, and have improved in recent releases. In the latest version, Sonoma, I can, and I am, currently using these features to compose this reply to you. I am using voice dictation to dictate this text. I am controlling the movement of the mouse by using a Webcam attached to the top of my monitor, and I can click the mouse by making a facial expression. You Can read more on the Apple documentation site.
For text entry, I use an on-screen keyboard. I have it set to appear or disappear when I move the mouse pointer to one of the four corners of the screens, which I enable as hot corners. I make sure to have accessibility enabled at login so that I can also display the screen when entering my logon password.
The system works flawlessly so long as there is sufficient lighting, and I am not sitting too close to the computer. It will in fact work even when I am sitting halfway across the room. As a result, I make sure I disable alternate pointer control when I move away from the computer, so that I don't get random clicks while doing other things in the room.
The system has worked pretty much 100% well. Only once has the Webcam inexplicably turned off, which required me to reboot the computer by voice control, using a smart plug attached to the power supply for the Mac. To avoid having to reboot, I installed a client – server, software, called remote, mouse, available from the App Store. Client apps are available for iPhone and Android devices. This can be used as a back-up pointer control, and mouse clicker in fact.
posted by SweetLiesOfBokonon at 5:29 AM on February 6 [3 favorites]
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posted by leslies at 5:07 PM on February 5 [2 favorites]