Assistive Technology for Complex Disability Communication

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Assistive Technology for Complex
DisabilityCommunication Control
HC2013 Wednesday 17th April 2013 Gary
Derwent Joint Head of Assistive and
Rehabilitation Technology Informatics
lead Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability
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Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability

• Based in London, serving all of UK.
• Rehabilitation longer term care
• 230 Patients Residents with Head Injury,
  Stroke, MS, HD a range of other neurological
  conditions.

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Compass Electronic Assistive Technology Service

• 6 team members working with High Tech AAC,
  Computer Access, Environmental Control and
  Powered Mobility

Computer Access
Environmental Control
Communication Aids
Switches Mounting
Powered Mobility
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• How can someone with certain disabilities operate
  equipment ?
• With switches, with their eyes, with their brain
  ??

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Switches
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A scanning grid
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Scanning Factors Diagram
Diagram created by Compass, Royal Hospital for
Neuro-disability. Based on terminology and theory
by other organisations and individuals,
especially the Ace Centre, Oxford, and the Call
Centre, Edinburgh.
Single
Frequency of use
Prediction
Multiple
Words or phrases
Input acceptance
Rate Enhancement
Logical
Alpha numeric
Other
Repeat filtering
Familiarity
Filtering
Number of levels
Post acceptance delay
Next Item
1 Switch
Item order
1) Selection set
Cycles
2 Switches
Cancellation
8) Other Parameters
2) Layout
Additional functions
Cancel item
More than 2
Scanning
Extra Switch
7) Speed Parameters
Dwell Time
3) Number of switches
Directed Scanning
Static
Half switches
Scan Speed
Dynamic
4) Scanning Method
6) Sensory Parameters
Dwell
Selection Method
5) Scanning Movement
User-controlled
Auditory
Switch press
Pre-set
AutoScan
StepScan
AutoStart
Visual
Switch release
Pause
Simple
Group
Beep
Verbal
First Item Delay
UserScan
Critical overscan
Custom
Highlight
Cue
Feedback
Nested
Row Column
Block
Fonts and Colours
Grid Hiding
Column Row
Group
Item
Outline
Dot
Fill
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Eyegaze
Infrared Emitter
Gaze Point
Reflection to Camera

• Diagram Not To Scale
• Gaze Point Determined Comparing Eye Position to
  Saved Eye Positions From Calibration
• User Selects Gaze Point by Dwelling or Blinking

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Communication devices
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Dynamic Screen Fruit Machine

• Janet Larcher

Hardware
Software
Vocabulary
Symbols
Comm4
PCS
Tobii C12
Sono Lexis
The Grid 2
CallTalk
Bliss
PowerBox
IDV
Rebus
Tellus
RollTalk
Mind Expr
GridTalk
SymbolStix
Sahara
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Huge variety of layouts
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iPads iPhones - Android
Proloquo2go
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Environmental control
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Move to tablet controllers
RSL Steeper Evo Assist
Possum Qwayo
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Multiple grids - switch eye-gaze
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Powered wheelchair control
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Low tech communication

• Always have low tech means of communication as a
  backup and often as preference in some situations.

E-Tran
Manual Listener Scanning
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Brain Computer Interfacing
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Tobii eye-glasses
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The End

• ?