Is it possible to programmatically turn on the Macbook Pro's keyboard backlight for individual keys?

Question

Although I have a feeling that this isn't technically possible, it's worth asking anyways. Is it possible to turn on the Macbook Pro's keyboard backlights for individual keys? I am working on a piece of grid-based software which allows the user to navigate around by pressing any key on the keyboard to position the cursor at that point in the grid. It would be very cool if I could somehow just turn on the backlight for certain keys to give the user an easy way to see the current position of the cursor.

Is it even possible for an application to control the keyboard backlighting at all, let alone for individual keys?

Answer 1

Yes, on programs controlling the backlight.

iTunes visualizer that pusles keyboard backlighting to music: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUXLkwlF9e8

How to manually adjust (via plugin): http://osxdaily.com/2006/11/30/how-to-manually-adjust-the-macbook-pro-keyboard-backlight/

Not sure on programs controlling individual keys, but as that would require additional hardware to be installed on Mac's part, i doubt it.

Answer 2

Well after trawling the webs, it looks like the answer to that is no. But I'd like to point out that each key does have its own key- a tiny little LED (same kind they use under phone keypad buttons). Also, I've seen some people saying that flashing these lights on and off repeatedly is bad for them. Bullshit- all digital electronics control light output from LED's by flashing on and off many many times a second. Read up on PWM on wikipedia or something..

Anyways just had to get that out there :) Thanks, Nic