Wednesday, June 4, 2014

Assignment on Assistive Technology for Individuals with Physical disabilities:

 A physical disability is a limitation on a person's physical functioning, mobility, dexterity or stamina

High Tech:

Sip and puff switch

 Sip and puff switches are able to interpret the user's breath actions as on/off signals, and can be used for a variety of purposes, from controlling a wheelchair to navigating a computer. The hardware can be combined with software that extends the functionality of this simple device for more sophisticated applications.Sip/Puff solutions are ideal for people who have limited or no motor capacity to operate switch-activated devices.

 Eye tracking devices:

  Eye tracking devices:can be a powerful alternative for individuals with no control, or only limited control, over their hand movements. The device follows the movement of the eyes and allows the person to navigate through the web with only eye movements. Special software allows the person to type, and may include word-completion technology to speed up the process. These systems can be expensive—usually in the thousands of US dollars—so they are less common than the less sophisticated devices, such as mouth sticks and head wands.

Medium Tech: 

  Oversized trackball mouse:

A trackball mouse, and mice in general are no longer considered to be high tech forms of assistive technology but nonetheless continue to be very effective tools. Someone may, for example, use a trackball mouse in conjunction with a head wand or mouth stick. It is relatively easy to manipulate a trackball with these devices and much harder to manipulate a standard mouse. Someone with tremors in the hands may also find this kind of mouse more useful because once the person moves the mouse cursor to the right location, there is less danger of accidentally moving the cursor while trying to click on the mouse button. A person with tremors in the hands could also manipulate the trackball mouse with a foot, if there is enough motor control in the feet.  A challenge for this form of technology would be its accuracy depending on the physical disablility, Something like eye tracking would be just as effective and potentially far more accurate.

Adaptive Keyboard: 

 

In cases where a person does not have reliable muscle control in the hands for precision movements, an adaptive keyboard can be useful. Some adaptive keyboards have raised areas in between the keys, rather than lowered areas, to allow the person to first place the hand down on the keyboard, then slide the finger into the correct key. A person with tremors, or spastic movements could benefit from this type of keyboard. Keyboard overlays are also available as an adaptation to standard keyboards, which achieve the same results. In some cases, adaptive keyboards come with specialized software with word-completion technology, allowing the person to type with fewer keystrokes, since typing can be rather laborious and slow otherwise.

Low Tech: 

Pencil Weights:

A low tech form of assistive technology for students with a physical disability is pencil weights.  These weights are designed for students with fine motor or sensory integration problems who may have issues placing enough consistent pressure on a pencil for its effective use.  While we do often tend to look for more technological forms of assistive technology to assist students with writing, voice recognition software, that technology is not always available in all places. Pencil weights can be a useful backup in the right situation.

No-Slip Mat:

 The No-Slip Mat is a non-slip pad designed for use by individuals with upper extremity or neurological disabilities. Intended to keep items from sliding off a table, this pad can be used to stabilize toys, dishes, eating utensils, or tools.