sb@tis.llnl.gov (12/26/88)
My father is in need of information about hooking an automobile accident victim to a computer (hopefully to give her speech). Regretably, there is not too much to work with, as she is brain damaged enough to make all motion most complex. Are there joy sticks that can be operated by tongue? Is there someone who has equipment that can read eye position so that she can look up words on a screen. It appears that most of the "smarts" are still intact, but none of the wiring is hooked to a voluntary controller. The exact functionality of the lady is unknown to me -- I have asked him for more information. If there are any points of contact or research, I would be most obliged. Thank you! --Bradley Smith (lll-tis!gmeeca!sb) - or - (gmeeca!sb@tis.llnl.gov) [Moderator's Note: How about it folks? Wouldn't it be a great New Year's gift for this lady if Mr. Smith was able to get her connected with the world once again because Telecom Digest readers figured out a way to do it? This brings to mind the very wonderful work done by the old 'Bell System' for many decades with physically handicapped people. Some incredible devices were built to insure that the weakest and most helpless among us would be able to communicate. Surely we should keep that spirit alive today. Please go to work on this, and report your results here. Thanks so much. P. Townson]
jbn@glacier.stanford.edu (John B. Nagle) (12/31/88)
Try contacting Dr. Larry Leifer of the Center for Design Research, Stanford, who is involved with various VA-supported rehab programs. He can be reached at "LEIFER@SIERRA.STANFORD.EDU". John Nagle
schwartz.osbunorth@xerox.com (01/04/89)
Re: "... hooking an automobile accident to a computer ..." I just noticed the following item in "Online Today", the monthly magazine of Compuserve: Apple "Pickings" for the Disabled: A packet of information on Apple computer resources for the handicapped is available from Access Unlimited Speech Enterprises, a charitable, non-profit, special technology corporation. The package includes titles, descriptions and prices of talking and larger print Apple software, accessories, peripherals and special hardware, such as alternatives to the standard keyboard. The products described in the packet are being used by the blind, low-visioned, multiple-handicapped, mute, reading- or learning-disabled, mentally retarded and hearing impaired. Some are designed for users with special needs, while others are general-market products that are recommended additions to the Apple computer system used by a handicapped child or adult. When requesting a free information packet, include your name, organization, address and telephone number, the nature of the disability being addressed, computer of interest, and age or developmental level. Information tailored to your needs will be sent. Mention that you heard of the packet in "Online Today." To order, call 800/531-5314 (nationwide) or 800/292-5619 (in Texas). The organization also is selling a 10-minute VHS videotape of severely handicapped children and young adults using Apple computers to demonstrate the versatility of the machines. The tape costs $45 plus $3.50 shipping and handling. To order, call 713/461-0006. For information, contact Access Unlimited Speech Enterprises, 99039 Katy Freeway, Suite 414, Houston TX 77024. Information on computers and the handicapped is available in the Disabilities Forum [on Compuserve] (GO DISABILITIES).
faigin@aerospace.aero.org (01/04/89)
According to my wife, California State University at Northridge just had a conference on computer aids for the handicapped. One of their gizmos that made the local TV news was an interface that allowed an ALS patient to communicate by focusing on words on a gridded CRT screen. Said patient had control over only his eye muscles. You might want to contact folk over there for more details (they have a lab that specializes in custom-fit computer aids for the handicapped). Daniel -- Work : The Aerospace Corp M8/055 * POB 92957 * LA, CA 90009-2957 * 213/336-3149 Home : 8333 Columbus Avenue #17 * Sepulveda CA 91343 * 818/892-8555 Internet : faigin@aerospace.aero.org +---------------------------------------- Voicemail: 213/336-5454 Box# 3149 | Take what you like, and leave the rest
ornitz@cs.rochester.edu (barry ornitz) (01/04/89)
I remember seeing a device in _QST_ magazine many years ago that might help.
(QST is an amateur radio magazine published by the American Radio Relay League
of Newington, CT.) This device enabled a quadraplegic to operate a ham radio
by using a collection of plastic soda straws for the individual to puff into.
The straws connected to sensitive pressure switches that did the actual control
of the radio. These switches are quite inexpensive and are available on the
surplus market. The solid-state pressure transducers would also work if an
analog output were needed, or they could feed a comparator circuit. These
switches could be wired in parallel with the cursor keys (with repeat) to give
a mouse-like functionality. A pressure sensitivity on the order of ten to
twenty inches of water should be satisfactory.
Back in college, I helped make a number of modifications to radio equipment for
a friend who was a semi-quadraplegic - he could move his arms but not wrists
or fingers. Amateur radio opened up a new world to my friend, and I am glad
to have been able to help. If the idea of using pressure switches looks
promising in this application, I'll see what I can find for pressure sensors.
Barry
-----------------
| ___ ________ |
| | / / | | Dr. Barry L. Ornitz UUCP:..rutgers!rochester!kodak!ornitz
| | / / | | Eastman Kodak Company
| |< < K O D A K| | Eastman Chemicals Division Research Laboratories
| | \ \ | | P. O. Box 1972
| |__\ \________| | Kingsport, TN 37662 615/229-4904
| |
-----------------rbthomas@aramis.rutgers.edu (Rick Thomas) (01/05/89)
An idea that I have often wondered about in this area involves some of
the results from the "bio-feedback" experiments that were done in the
60s and 70s. It turns out that you can easily learn to consciously
control individual muscle fibers, as long as something is hooked to
them that can feed-back to you the information that they have twitched
or not. This extends also to brain waves. You can learn to enhance or
diminish the intensity of your own alpha and theta waves (The alpha
waves are indicators of a "meditative" brain state and the thetas are
indicative of a "concentrating-alert" brain state. Learning to control
them can influence the degree of attentiveness you can muster to a
basically boring task, such as air-traffic control, but that is a
different story.) I don't know for a fact -- but surmise -- that other
aspects of brain activity can be controlled consciously as well. This
means that a person need have no motor control at all and can still
produce consciously controlled alterations in a measurable variable.
With appropriate computer support, this could be turned into a
communications channel. There is even a company that markets a card
and software for IBM PC's and a head-band that measures brain activity
-- for use by "bio-feedback" hobbyists. I believe they advertise in
BYTE -- I don't have the details handy though -- My BYTEs are at home
and I am at work. With a PC, that card, and some home-brew software,
one could easily have a brain-driven word processor. With some
(relatively) cheap hobbyist robotics hardware and some home-brew
software, it could become a manipulative prosthesis. The possibilities
are endless.
--
Rick Thomas
uucp: {ames, cbosgd, harvard, moss, seismo}!rutgers!caip.rutgers.edu!rbthomas
arpa: rbthomas@CAIP.RUTGERS.EDUrowan@otc.oz (Rowan Munchenberg) (01/06/89)
At the University of Adelaide (Australia) one of the Researchers has developed a device called "CEDRIC" which determines where on a screen a users eye is directed. This is used to enable severly handicapped to interface to a computer and possibly voice synthesis software. The user selects words from screen menus, or letters if the word is not available, to form sentences or instructions to the computer. This summary is of the work about 12 months previous. If there is interest I can contract the person involved, Andrew Downing, for more details. To my knowledge this is a product that is already marketed but I am not certain of this. e-mail to me for further information if required. Rowan Munchenberg Overseas Telecommunications Commission, Australia SNAIL: GPO Box 7000 Sydney Australia 2001 E-MAIL: uunet!munnari!otc!rowan uunet!munnari!rowan@otc.oz
jec@ames.arc.nasa.gov (John Carter ATLN SADM) (01/06/89)
In article <telecom-v08i0212m04@vector.UUCP>, gmeeca!sb@tis.llnl.gov writes: > My father is in need of information about hooking an automobile accident > victim to a computer (hopefully to give her speech). Regretably, there is > not too much to work with, as she is brain damaged enough to make all motion > most complex. Are there joy sticks that can be operated by tongue? Is there > someone who has equipment that can read eye position so that she can look up > words on a screen. It appears that most of the "smarts" are still intact, > but none of the wiring is hooked to a voluntary controller. Many requests for interfaces for handicapped people are posted on Usenet, but I don't remember seeing anyone pointed to the handicap forum on Compu$erve. The time it would take to make a request for this type information would be very inexpensive (even at $12+/hour), and the responses would be from people who are involved with (or are themselves) handicapped persons. I haven't been on the handicap forum, so I don't know the absolute level of expertise there, but if some of the other 'hardware' related forums are any example, this would be an excellent place to look. If the original poster will contact me, I'll try to retrieve data related to the specifics of the handicapped person's abilities. -- USnail: John Carter, AT&T, 401 W. Peachtree, FLOC 2932-6, Atlanta GA 30308 Video: ...att!nesac2!jec Voice: 404+581-6239 The machine belongs to the company. The opinions are mine.
schwartz.osbunorth@xerox.com (01/10/89)
Still more on "... hooking an automobile accident to a computer ..." The January 8 edition of the San Jose Mercury News (Section F, pages 1, 7) had an article entitled "Disabled find jobs on-line." The article lists the following local agencies "that can help the disabled obtain computer training." 1. The Bridge Project: Sunnyvale (408) 736-9041 2. Project Hired: Sunnyvale (408) 730-0880 3. The California Department of Rehabilitation: San Jose (408) 277-1350 4. The CIL-Computer Training Center: Berkeley (415) 849-2911 (voice or TTY) 5. Disabled Programmers Inc.: San Jose (408) 629-3700 The article has more information on each of these organizations.