Businesses in the assistive technology (AT) sector tend to be oriented to small, niche markets and can have lower profits and higher risk than those targeting large, mainstream markets. We carried out a study to examine the motivations and business p

Assistive technology (AT) provides an interface between a disabled individual and his or her environment. Historically, AT practice and research has focused on how a device can augment or replace the function of an individual, with less emphasis on h

Cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common cause of physical disability in childhood. Hemiplegia is among the most common forms of CP and the resulting impaired hand function is one of the most disabling symptoms, affecting self-care activities such as feeding, dressing, and grooming. To date, evidence-based treatments are limited. Recent approaches, however, have capitalized on findings that show children with hemiplegia h ave residual motor capabilities and neuroplastic changes in nervous system function that emerge and improve with practice. Here the etiology and neural basis of hemiplegic CP is first briefly reviewed, followed by a description of the residual motor capabilities in the involved upper extremity and the potentia l role of intensive practice. Two promising approaches that target residual motor function, constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT) and bimanual training, are then described. Recent evidence suggests that such task-oriented training approaches to re habilitation are enhanced when the tasks are meaningful to the performer. Increasingly, this means use of current technology, specifi cally video gaming, to maintain salience and motivation and target specific motor impairments. Thus a method for using commerc ially available video gaming, including the Nintendo Wii to augment such intensive treatment approaches is described. It is s uggested that with such intensive treatment programs, gaming can be an important compliment to, but not a replacement for, salient task-oriented activities in the real world and that video ga ming and virtual reality training will be an important part o f future rehabilitation efforts.

Multiple impairments contribute to motor deficits seen in children with spastic cerebral palsy (CP). Impairments should be identified and quantified to individualize treatment plans. Spasticity and reduced selective voluntary motor control (SVMC) are two primary impairments. Spasticity is one of the most obvious and is the focus of many current interventions. The pendulum test is a sensitive measure of quadriceps spasticity than can be easily used with children. Our research has shown that the most sensitive pendulum test outcome is the first swing excursion. Using the pendulum test, the clinical premise that effortful exercise increases spasticity was disproven. Standardized tools have been available for evaluating spasticity, balance, strength and contractures, but not for the assessment of SVMC for patients with CP. We developed a new comprehensive assessment for lower extremity SVMC. Its validity and reliability have been established. The relationships between SVMC and gait as well as the clinical applications of SVMC assessment are presented.

Recent work has examined the feasibility of robotic-assisted gait training in pediatric patients, including children with cerebral palsy (CP). Herein we present a case series describing clinical outcomes in four children diagnosed with spastic dipleg

The virtual coach is designed to guide power seat function users to use those functions safely and appropriately. The virtual coach can monitor user compliance with clinician prescriptions, and provide feedback to the user via reminders and alerts. An array of pressure, tilt, and IR sensors provides data to the virtual coach. The results from a user study are presented.

Objective: In this paper we describe the design of a website based on written information about diabetes for people with intellectual disability and their care providers. Methods: The design process was collaborative with adults with intellectual disability, care providers, and professionals. The design followed the W3C Guidelines - Accessibility Guidelines Double A. Results: Preliminary results are promising and the site is having about 850 pages accessed per month. Conclusion: The consultative and design processes used resulted in a unique and acceptable educational tool for people with intellectual disability who have diabetes and their care providers.

The aim of this study was to explore the individual circumstances of people with Parkinson's disease, as well as their ideas and opinions about assistive technology that may be used for daily living. A self-reported, user survey was designed. The res

Research and development has been conducted on a “hands-free” brain wave activity (electroencephalography-based) assistive technology device called the Mind Switch. It has been designed to provide a severely disabled person (such as someone with tetraplegia) with the ability to switch using their brain activity and thus activate devices in the environment. An area of concern has been the time it takes to complete set-up of the system before individual use, as well as the occurrence of errors in switching rates. In order to improve the user friendliness of the system, this study compared the efficacy of detecting electroencephalography (EEG) changes in brain signals that occur with eye closure and used as a “switch”, with two different methods of processing the EEG. Using data from spinal cord injured participants, fractal analysis, that is, the change in fractal dimension of the EEG wave during eye closure was compared to the original method of using spectral analysis change. In comparison to the spectral technique, the fractal dimension technique improved set up time, and was substantially improved in reducing the number of false positive and false negative errors when activating the device. Furthermore, the time to switch was also marginally reduced when using fractal dimension processing. Implications for improving the viability of an EEG based environmental control system for the severely neurologically injured are discussed.

Accessible mobile phones for people with physical disabilities is an area that is still developing with new products and services emerging to assist these people to access the telecommunications equipment that is currently available. This research evaluated the effectiveness a prototype interface system for a mobile phone and accompanying speech generating device that enabled the user to independently initiate, answer, conduct and terminate voice calls and send text messages through the use of their communication device. Separate trials were conducted with two teenage participants with a physical disability who cannot speak and require a communication device to communicate. After their respective trials, both participants recorded very high overall performance and satisfaction outcomes. This paper highlights that involving the end-user in customization of the interface system during the trial had resulted in a very successful outcome. The trials demonstrated that people with severe mobility and speech impairments are able to effectively use a mobile phone in its many modes of operation. The trials affirmed that the system has given the participants a sense of independence, safety and security, and also contributed to improving their communication skills, leading to the self confidence to engage in conversation and social activities.