Team Members: Cynthia Bayley, Peter Nguyen, Noriko Misra, and Erica Young
Objective:
The goal of this project is to create an assistive device that will enable elderly/disabled people to interact with technology. More specifically, this device will help people with limited dexterity (ex. paraplegics, parkinson's) control appliances and touch-based technologies, allowing them to better interact with the interfaces. (ie. to read books on iPads, browse websites, turn their televisions on, and so forth)
Current Limitations:
Touch screen devices present many challenges to individuals with limited dexterity. For example, some paraplegics experience mobility impairments such that they can only move their heads and therefore need a collar-based actuation system. Others can only move two fingers and are in need of a soft two-button apparatus that can rest below their palm.
Some existing devices include "headsticks," where a user has a long stylus attached to his/her head. There are also foot pedal page turners that are USB keyboards in essence. These are devices geared toward the musical community, which is quite able-bodied. We look to create a device that can serve those with disabilities.
The need for a device that can actuate and simulate touches on an iPad is great, especially to those with limited dexterity and paralysis.
Potential Users: Elderly, People with Limited Mobility or Disabilities
Project Proposal
To develop our assistive device, we plan to conduct user research and observe potential users interacting with devices. We plan to contact organizations such as the Disabled Students’ Program under the division of equity of UC Berkeley and a non-profit senior serving agencies in the Bay Area. During user observation, we will pay attention not only to the limited capability of hands but also to the capability of other parts of the human body for these types of interactions, and use those observed limitations to . We believe this approach will help us to understand the needs of our users and to obtain insights into various possible directions in apparatus development. In addition to in-person user research and observation, we may also conduct online surveys targeting people with limited dexterity to understand their needs more in-depth.
At the moment, we are examining the iPad as a starting point but are open to other potential devices which allow users to control things by using other parts of their body such as their foot or voice. These are all within the realm of possibility.
Note:
As part of this project, we plan to reach out to Lucy Greco of Berkeley’s Assistive Technology Teaching & Learning Center (http://attlc.berkeley.edu/).
- Login to post comments
