Hit Me Gently!
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About
It was one of these days...I had the idea that it would be cool to have kind of a emergency-button to trigger a sound. For example, if a calling customer really pissed you off, you can hit it (gently) and it will play a sound maybe shouting "what the f*ck"!
I built that completely in hardware, but it was a bit annoying that the sound quality of the recording chip was bad, and recording a new sound took a bit too long (attaching cable to my Mac, playing the desired sound while pushing the recording button).
So I decided to create new, better, more flexible version!
Features
The App can trigger this actions:
- Playing a sound file
- Speak using AppleScript's speech synth
- Launch an AppleScript, in which you can do nearly everything you can think of
- Play an iTunes Playlist
Hardware
Before you start....You are doing this at your own risk! If you end up with a fried USB port or even a dead computer, don't blame me!
What you need
- 1 really cheap, small mouse with at least three buttons (more might be better)
- 1 Klöckner & Möller FAK Grobhandtaster
- Some tools, like screwdrivers, pliers, soldering station etc.
Building
-
the Klöckner & Möller emergency button (box) -
the button -
a cheap mouse -
open the mouse -
the innards -
localize the button you want to trigger... -
...and find it on the bottom side... -
...solder a cable to it... -
...attach to the FAK closing switch -
Finished!
Software
- System requirements
- Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard or higher
- Download
- Known Issues
- If you experience that buttons 3 or higher won't work, not with this app, and not with Exposé and Dashboard, you're in good company. The Problem is common. I found a solution: Installing Logitech CC and deactivating it (deleting com.Logitech.Control Center.Daemon.plist, removing Logitech Control Center.prefPane) did the trick for me.
Screenshots
Video
- this and that
- Shortlink to here: http://wurst-wasser.net/t/r.php?u=HMG
- Footnotes: