You could watch the operator's space with a webcam. If you can see the back of the chair then the user is away. Mark Browne -----Original Message----- From: tclug-list-bounces at mn-linux.org [mailto:tclug-list-bounces at mn-linux.org] On Behalf Of Jeremy Sent: Friday, July 21, 2006 8:51 AM To: tclug-list at mn-linux.org Subject: Re: [tclug-list] IM question On Thursday 20 July 2006 17:11, Andrew Zbikowski wrote: > I don't know of any either, but I always thought someone should invent > a chair with a pressure switch that could communicate with your > computer. Then script/integrate/whatever with IRC/IM clients to set > yourself away and back automatically. > > I don't see anyone buying it ever, but it would be a fun little side > project...if I had time for another side project. ;) I'd suggest checking motion rather than mass. It's pretty easy to hook an IR motion detector to the printer port. Radio Shack had a cheap one a few years back, and it only involved soldering one wire. Add a few lines of C code, and it would call a function when something moved. It was really quick to put together and was unobtrusive. Jeremy _______________________________________________ TCLUG Mailing List - Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota tclug-list at mn-linux.org http://mailman.mn-linux.org/mailman/listinfo/tclug-list