Devices you already own already have software installed that can make living with RSI easier by using your voice or other automation to help do regular tasks without using your strained arms and fingers. In particular, computer mouse usage, especially clicking, is well known to aggravate RSI symptoms more than other computer input, so in general, minimising mouse usage can go a long way to relieve and prevent RSI symptoms.
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See also how various computer accessories can also help, and additional software you can purchase and install yourself to further improve this experience:
Voice-Controlled Personal Assistant :
iPhone users have the Siri virtual voice-controlled personal assistant and Android users can use Google Assistant to control their phone using primarily their voice. Learning to use these can reduce the amount of use of your fingers and arms.
Here are some videos made by us to demonstrate these features.
For an iPhone
For an Android phone
(or google Android/iPhone virtual assistant)
Voice to Text:
Voice to text might be more useful in some situations. It is accessed directly from the on-screen keyboard of your device.
Software Shortcuts:
Improvements to software accessibility are constantly evolving. Mac computers come with the “Shortcuts” application which can automate entire workflows. These are completely customisable and can be grouped into various categories.
Physical Keyboard Shortcuts:
A lot of us have probably used shortcuts to reduce mouse usage.
Here is a list of some useful ones. You can find others by Googling Windows Shortcuts.
Mac users: Most of these also work on Mac, in general replace Ctrl with Command, and Alt with Option.
Ctrl + A – Select all items in a document or window. If you are in a field, then it will select that field only, not everything on a page.
Shift + arrow keys – Will select text.
Ctrl + C (or Ctrl + Insert) – Copy the selected text. The text will remain.
Ctrl + V (or Shift + Insert) – Paste what is in the clipboard. Do this after Ctrl + C. Ctrl + Y – Redo an action. Press again to do it again.
Ctrl + Z – Undo an action. Press again to undo previous actions.
Great if you have made a mistake. Or several.
Alt + Tab – Switch between open apps.
ALT + F4 – Close the current App. NB: If you have several tabs open, it will close them all. Alt + Spacebar – Open the shortcut menu for the active window.
F2 – In file explorer, rename the current item.
F6 – Cycle through screen elements in a window or on the desktop. If you are in a browser, the first time the key is pressed the URL is selected. Then one tab is selected. By pressing the left or right arrow you can change which tab is selected. Press enter and that tab is shown. Press F6 again and the bookmarks are highlighted. Again use the arrow keys to select a bookmark.
Windows logo key + T – Cycle through apps on the taskbar. Once you have pressed this once, you can use the arrow keys to select the app you want to use.
Windows logo key + D – Display and hide the desktop. Got heaps of windows open and you need them all minimized quickly? Then do this and you will see the desktop. Do it again and your windows will be restored.
Windows logo key + Alt + D – Display and hide the date and time on the desktop.
Windows logo key + E – Open File Explorer.
Windows logo key + H – Start dictation. You will need a microphone or headset to use this. Windows logo key + Tab – Open Task view. Shows every open app on the screen. Select the one you want.
Windows logo key + Down arrow – Remove current app from screen or minimize the desktop window. If the current window is full screen pressing this combination will reduce its size. Press it again and the window is minimised. Windows logo key + Up arrow does the reverse.
Windows logo key + Left or right arrow – Maximize the app or desktop window to the left or right side of the screen. You can then select another window to fill the other half of the screen.
NB: Many of these shortcuts can also be used in other applications such as Microsoft Office.
For more Windows shortcuts click here
(or google Windows shortcuts)