Foot pedal for Kindle ?

Rime · 02-26-2013, 04:31 PM

I do a lot of things where I basically put my brain in neutral and let my hands do the jobs, such as sanding (usually shelves) and knitting. It would be nice to be able to read while my quite competent hands did their thing, but putting down the sandpaper or knitting needles doesn't work because it interrupts the flow too frequently. If only there was a foot pedal that I could tap to turn the page....

I have both a K3 and a Paperwhite. Any suggestions ? Simple lever contraptions haven't worked.

Thanks !

brianinmaine · 02-26-2013, 06:01 PM

text to speech works well for me, and if you don't like the voice, turn the volume down. It will still turn pages as it reads. Or get audiobooks. My touch can play books from Audible, I assume the PW can too, right?

Yolina · 02-26-2013, 06:13 PM

There's no audio on the PW unfortunately. I too have used the TTS with volume down on the K3 to turn the pages automatically

works well enough.

DiapDealer · 02-26-2013, 07:16 PM

I've always wanted a remote page turner. I know it sounds lazy, but it's really not. I want it for when I'm on the treadmill. I do a lot of reading on the treadmill.

brianinmaine · 02-26-2013, 07:37 PM

http://laughingsquid.com/finger-nose...screen-device/

obviously this is a joke, but the basic idea of strapping a stylus to a foot pedal of some sort should be possible, but if you really need hands free, it's really much easier to just get audiobooks and put them on an mp3 player.

good luck!

ucfgrad93 · 02-26-2013, 07:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brianinmaine

if you really need hands free, it's really much easier to just get audiobooks and put them on an mp3 player.

good luck!

I agree. Audio books seem like a better idea for you OP. Plus, I've always thought that the TTS on my Kindle Keyboard is awful. Very robotic sounding. With audio books you get professional actors reading the material and it is usually very nice.

DiapDealer · 02-26-2013, 08:04 PM

Well I can't speak for the OP, but for myself... audiobooks are not an option. I want to read not listen. They're not the same thing. I'm not dissing audiobooks--in fact I wish I could avail myself of their convenience sometimes--but I can't. No matter how many times I try them... I find I always stop listening after a while. The narration becomes a disembodied buzz in my ear. Then it's a PITA to back up and figure out where I first tuned it out.

Shopaholic · 02-26-2013, 08:18 PM

I agree with the others. Get an MP3 player and listen to audiobooks. A paper book or ereader won't work while knitting. Unless you're sitting & can tap the screen with your knuckle. I knit but I don't sand. I doubt that would work while sanding. That and it would seem to make a mess of your screen with sawdust all over the place! :O

brianinmaine · 02-26-2013, 08:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Well I can't speak for the OP, but for myself... audiobooks are not an option. I want to read not listen. They're not the same thing. I'm not dissing audiobooks--in fact I wish I could avail myself of their convenience sometimes--but I can't. No matter how many times I try them... I find I always stop listening after a while. The narration becomes a disembodied buzz in my ear. Then it's a PITA to back up and figure out where I first tuned it out.

This happens to me also. I listen 10-12 hours a week to audiobooks while commuting and sometimes loose my place. I also love to read books, so I know the problem, but if your hands are full, you just can't beat an audiobook. Totally hands free.

Rime · 02-26-2013, 10:33 PM

I'm with DiapDealer : I don't really like listening to books : I want to read them. The MP3/audio book player doesn't work when I'm sanding because I'm usually using a power sander and consequently wear serious hearing protection. But if TTS really turns the pages.... I'll try that tonight. Thanks !

brianinmaine · 02-26-2013, 11:27 PM

one more suggestion if you're sanding: lay a piece of plastic wrap over the kindle to keep dust off. works on cookbooks too!

crich70 · 02-27-2013, 02:21 AM

For anyone who is interested in audio books: http://audiobooksforfree.com/ The lowest quality is a bit robotic but free. For $100.00 they ship you a 10 DVD set with their complete catalog too I guess though I've never heard the higher quality audios (which they do charge for).

dsmid · 02-27-2013, 03:09 AM

Get a food pedal from an old sewing machine,
get a Raspberry Pi with a WiFi dongle,
connect the pedal to a GPIO pin of Raspberry,
configure Raspberry to send "Turn page" command to Kindle via ssh when GPIO signal change is detected.
Done.

Optionally you can replace the WiFi dongle with a USB cable.

Popup · 02-27-2013, 05:51 AM

Get one of these and rip open your K3. Connect the cables to the page-turn buttons, and you should be done!

(You could even do something neat and replace the head-phone jack with the connector to the foot pedal, and make it removable!)

meeera · 02-27-2013, 06:22 AM

Such things do exist, but they're outrageously expensive at the moment. (As are most accessibility solutions for people with disabilities... )

http://orin.com/access/pagebot/

With an infrared touch screen you could tap the screen gently with a knitting needle or a waft of yarn. (Or even a toe, if you're really dexterous!) I don't think the inanimate bits will work with the Paperwhite's capacitative touch screen, though; you'd need a special stylus and that would involve putting something down.

02-26-2013, 04:31 PM	#1
Rime Member Posts: 16 Karma: 54 Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: SF Bay Area Device: Kindle3	Foot pedal for Kindle ? I do a lot of things where I basically put my brain in neutral and let my hands do the jobs, such as sanding (usually shelves) and knitting. It would be nice to be able to read while my quite competent hands did their thing, but putting down the sandpaper or knitting needles doesn't work because it interrupts the flow too frequently. If only there was a foot pedal that I could tap to turn the page.... I have both a K3 and a Paperwhite. Any suggestions ? Simple lever contraptions haven't worked. Thanks !

02-27-2013, 06:22 AM	#15
meeera Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,817 Karma: 68407974 Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Australia Device: Kobo Libra 2, iPadMini4, iPad4, MBP; support other Kobo/Kindles	Such things do exist, but they're outrageously expensive at the moment. (As are most accessibility solutions for people with disabilities... ) http://orin.com/access/pagebot/ With an infrared touch screen you could tap the screen gently with a knitting needle or a waft of yarn. (Or even a toe, if you're really dexterous!) I don't think the inanimate bits will work with the Paperwhite's capacitative touch screen, though; you'd need a special stylus and that would involve putting something down. Last edited by meeera; 02-27-2013 at 06:25 AM.

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02-26-2013, 06:01 PM	#2
brianinmaine Evangelist Posts: 457 Karma: 1287375 Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: West Gardiner, Maine Device: Touch (5.3.7)	text to speech works well for me, and if you don't like the voice, turn the volume down. It will still turn pages as it reads. Or get audiobooks. My touch can play books from Audible, I assume the PW can too, right?

02-26-2013, 06:13 PM	#3
Yolina Wizard Posts: 1,179 Karma: 11573197 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: London, UK Device: Voyage	There's no audio on the PW unfortunately. I too have used the TTS with volume down on the K3 to turn the pages automatically works well enough.

02-26-2013, 07:16 PM	#4
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 28,577 Karma: 204127028 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	I've always wanted a remote page turner. I know it sounds lazy, but it's really not. I want it for when I'm on the treadmill. I do a lot of reading on the treadmill.

02-26-2013, 07:37 PM	#5
brianinmaine Evangelist Posts: 457 Karma: 1287375 Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: West Gardiner, Maine Device: Touch (5.3.7)	http://laughingsquid.com/finger-nose...screen-device/ obviously this is a joke, but the basic idea of strapping a stylus to a foot pedal of some sort should be possible, but if you really need hands free, it's really much easier to just get audiobooks and put them on an mp3 player. good luck!

02-26-2013, 08:04 PM	#7
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 28,577 Karma: 204127028 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	Well I can't speak for the OP, but for myself... audiobooks are not an option. I want to read not listen. They're not the same thing. I'm not dissing audiobooks--in fact I wish I could avail myself of their convenience sometimes--but I can't. No matter how many times I try them... I find I always stop listening after a while. The narration becomes a disembodied buzz in my ear. Then it's a PITA to back up and figure out where I first tuned it out.

02-26-2013, 08:18 PM	#8
Shopaholic Cockatoo Mom! Posts: 1,509 Karma: 1841741 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Ontario, Canada Device: PW4, Kobo: A1, Clara, Libra 2, iPad Pro 11, iPad Mini	I agree with the others. Get an MP3 player and listen to audiobooks. A paper book or ereader won't work while knitting. Unless you're sitting & can tap the screen with your knuckle. I knit but I don't sand. I doubt that would work while sanding. That and it would seem to make a mess of your screen with sawdust all over the place! :O

02-26-2013, 10:33 PM	#10
Rime Member Posts: 16 Karma: 54 Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: SF Bay Area Device: Kindle3	I'm with DiapDealer : I don't really like listening to books : I want to read them. The MP3/audio book player doesn't work when I'm sanding because I'm usually using a power sander and consequently wear serious hearing protection. But if TTS really turns the pages.... I'll try that tonight. Thanks !

02-26-2013, 11:27 PM	#11
brianinmaine Evangelist Posts: 457 Karma: 1287375 Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: West Gardiner, Maine Device: Touch (5.3.7)	one more suggestion if you're sanding: lay a piece of plastic wrap over the kindle to keep dust off. works on cookbooks too!

02-27-2013, 02:21 AM	#12
crich70 Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,310 Karma: 43993832 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Monroe Wisconsin Device: K3, Kindle Paperwhite, Calibre, and Mobipocket for Pc (netbook)	For anyone who is interested in audio books: http://audiobooksforfree.com/ The lowest quality is a bit robotic but free. For $100.00 they ship you a 10 DVD set with their complete catalog too I guess though I've never heard the higher quality audios (which they do charge for).

02-27-2013, 03:09 AM	#13
dsmid Linux devotee Posts: 598 Karma: 2069047 Join Date: Feb 2011 Device: Kindle 3, Kindle 4B, Kindle PW2	Get a food pedal from an old sewing machine, get a Raspberry Pi with a WiFi dongle, connect the pedal to a GPIO pin of Raspberry, configure Raspberry to send "Turn page" command to Kindle via ssh when GPIO signal change is detected. Done. Optionally you can replace the WiFi dongle with a USB cable.

02-27-2013, 05:51 AM	#14
Popup Zealot Posts: 102 Karma: 100000 Join Date: May 2011 Device: kindle3, paperwhite-2012, Oasis-2016, paperwhite-2019	Get one of these and rip open your K3. Connect the cables to the page-turn buttons, and you should be done! (You could even do something neat and replace the head-phone jack with the connector to the foot pedal, and make it removable!)