Twiddler2 & Poma Work Together?

From Wear-Hard Mailing list Archive (WH) Maintained by R. Paul McCarty

Hi all,

        I recently bought a Xybernaut Poma and a Handykey Twiddler2 (single 
USB connector version).  Very sadly the Twiddler2 doesn't seem to be 
recognized by the Poma and therefore I can't use them together.
    The Poma runs WinCE 3.0 and, though not a great OS, I thought it would 
at least allow me to start using a wearable that was closer to the size of a 
PDA than a laptop.  Also, it comes with a reasonably nice HMD without having 
to spend thousands and thousands on a Micro-Optical display and somehow try 
to wire that into something like a Gumstix board.

    I was hoping that the Twiddler2 and the Poma would work together 
out-of-the-box (maybe Xybernaut would foresee that someone might want to use 
one of the only commercial one-handed keyboards with their wearable) but no 
such luck.
    I found in the Wear-Hard archive that the PS/2 version of the Twiddler2 
is seen by the Poma's WinCE as a standard keyboard, so at least you could 
use the keyboard.  Windows XP sees the T2, loads up USB keyboard and mouse 
drivers and within a minute you are ready to work.  Hell, even Damn Small 
Linux and a cut down version (16Mb) of Midori Linux running on a Compaq IA-1 
will see both the keyboard and mouse from the T2.  But WinCE seems to be 
stumped by it!

    So, my question(s) is:
a)  does anyone have or know where I might find a WinCE 3.0 driver that will 
work with a USB Twiddler2?

b)  if not, is there a device I could get that can convert the Twiddler2 
into something WinCE can recognize?

c)  is there a version of Linux (or other proper OS), that can be used with 
the Twiddler2, I can install into the Poma (I think it runs a Hitachi sh4 
processor) - either by flashing the internal memory or, more preferably, 
using a Compact Flash card that can bypass WinCE?

d) if all else fails, does anyone have a Twiddler2 PS/2 version that they 
would be willing to swap for a USB one?  The Twiddler2 is in good shape 
(still with all the markings on the keys), I've only used it a little with 
Windows XP to learn the layout and get a feel for it.  At least with a PS/2 
version I could use the keyboard on it, right now the Twiddler2 and the Poma 
are just dead pieces of plastic sitting beside my desk.

     Thank you in advance for any help on this

                 Ben Roose

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