ADAPTIVE TECHNOLOGY
JENNIFER E. SESAY
DEPARTMENT OF COMPUTER SCIENCE
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-PLATTEVILLE
PLATTEVILLE, WI53818
Abstract
Adaptive or assistive technology (AT) is designed to improve the quality of the lives of people with disabilities by providing access to information and services. It involves the use of any item, equipment or system to increase and improve functional capabilities. Some universally-used general technology was lateradapted as assistive technologyto assistsimpaired people. Human Computer Interaction (HCI) professionals, computer scientists, and computer engineers develop and evaluate computer devices that can be used as assistive technology.The various technology covered in this presentation are for visual, or writing or hearing disabilities that relate specifically to computer software and hardware devices.
Introduction
Adaptive Technology is also known as assistive technology. It involves the use of any item, equipment or system that increases and improves the functional capabilities for individuals with disabilities. Adaptive Technology is important because it aids people with disabilities to access technology by meeting their specific needs. [2]
History of Adaptive Technology
The field of adaptive technology has been around for at least twenty years. Some universally used technology began as adaptive technology. An example is the telephone. People with normal hearing developed it to assist people with hearing disabilities, but now it is being used worldwide. Other general use technology has been adapted to be used to assist people with disabilities. For example, voice synthesizers have been adopted to assist visually impaired people. [2] Adaptive technology is an ever-changing field and new technologies are developed everyday to make life easier for everyone.
Adaptive Technology Used in the Past
Some adaptive technologiesused in the past are typewriters, tape recorders, auditory trainers, talking books and books on tape. Although some of these technologies are still being used, they are currently being replaced with more advanced software and hardware.
Various Disabilities in Adaptive Technology
Adaptive Technology covers a wide range of disabilities. This includes reading or visual disabilities, writing or motor disabilities, hearing and learning disabilities. Reading or visual disabilities occur when a person cannot read due to low vision or blindness. Writing or motor disabilities occurs when a person is unable to write properly. This can be caused by paralysis of the hands and legs (quadriplegics) or due to paralysis of the legs (paraplegics). Hearing disabilities are caused by deafness. Learning disabilities could be caused by dyslexia, dyscalculia, or dysgraphia although it is not limited to these. Learning disabilities are beyond of the scope of this paper.
Technology for People with Visual or Reading Disability
Braille Lite Note Taker
Braille is a medium which allows a blind person to read text by touch and a method for writing tactile text. The Braille code is physically presented as raised dots. They are usually arranged in cells of up to 6 dots. Braille devices have six main keys which serve as function controls in a Braille cell. The Braille Lite Note Taker is a mini computer. It comes with a built in modem, email program, MS Outlook, PC Pocket word, PC Pocket Excel and Internet Explorer. It has a compact flash slot with 32MB Flash ROM and memory ranges from about 768K to 2 Gigabytes. It has various operating systems ranging from Windows, UNIX and Linux. It has a PC connection card that allows the user to connect to a hard drive, cellular modem, wireless card or blue tooth technology. It comes with a Pentium 90 processor. Braille Lite Note Taker is about 8.5 inches long, 5 inches wide and 1.75 inches thick and weighs about 2 pounds. It also has serial and parallel ports at one side to enable connections to a printer, embosser, or computer. [4]
Figure 3: Braille Lite Note Taker
Cost $3,395 [4]
Braille Software Translator and Braille Embosser
Braille translation software is available to convert typed or scanned text into a format that can be printed in an embosser.Most Braille translation software programs can translate material into several grades or versions of Braille. There are also Music Braille software programs as well as scanning software to scan Braille into a computer and have it displayed or translated into text.A Braille Embosser is equivalent to a printer, which are used by blind people. [1]
Figure 1: Portable Braille Embosser [1]
Cost: $2,895.00
Braille Voyager
Braille Voyager has a Braille board attached underneath the computer so that a visually impaired person is able to type on a laptop. It is connected to the computer by the use of a USB connection. It uses approximately 5% of the battery life of the computer. For example, a laptop with a battery life of 3 hours will have used up all its power after 2 hours and 54 minutes. It is portable so it can be taken anywhere with the laptop. [3]
Figure 2: Braille Voyager [3]
Braille Display
Braille display is a tactile instrument made up of cells. A cell is made up to 6 to 8 pins made from nylon or metal. The position of a cursor is shown on dots 7 and dots 8 if they are present. Some devices also have the whiz wheel which enables the user to move up and down a page. The Braille display can be used for advanced math calculations and computer coding. The amount of characters in a document such as Microsoft Word is about 80 cells long. Braille displays that are less than 80 cells long will have to split the sentence in stages before it is displayed.It functions just like a computer monitor. [5]
Figure 4: Braille Displays [5]
Voice Output Applications
Ovation
Ovation is a type of device that scans and stores any kind of text and translates it into audio output. It can store up to 20 pages of text. This is useful for visually impaired people as it helps them read different scannable material. Ovation has an integrated Pentium computer that monitors the voice-activated system. It has volume control to increase and lower the volume and a speed control to manage the rate at which the text is been read. Ovation stores a maximum of 50,000 pages of text [6]. This device costs about $3100.
Figure 5: Ovation
Voice Output Application [6]
LightWriters
Lightwriter is a voice output instrument, in which a speech impaired or a person with a reading disability types in what they want to say and it is converted into voice output. It is a great communication device. [7]
Figure 6: LightWriter
An alternative communication device [7]
MyReader
Myreader helps people with low vision as it magnifies the text that is placed on its platform to be magnified. [9]
Figure 7: MyReader
Magnifier [9]
Laptalk
Laptalk is a laptop without a monitor screen, which is used to assist visually impaired people. It has a QWERTY keyboard since some users can type on it. It normally comes with a screen reader that reads what is on the screen to the user. [10]
Figure 8: Laptalk [10]
Speech Synthesizer
Speech synthesizersconvert speech into text. The user’s words are converted into text. This helps people with reading or speech disabilities. [11] [8]
ScreenReader
Screen readers work together with a speech synthesizer to read aloud everything contained on a computer screen including menus, icons and graphics. An example is Jaws for windows, it ranges from $895:00 - $1295.00. [12]
Technology for people with Hearing Disabilities
Personal Communicator
Personal Communicator is a communicating tool used to communicate to the user in American Sign Language and English. If there is an audio playing at the background signs the output to the user.
TeleBraille III
TeleBraille III deviceis used to aid a face-to-face communication between a deaf and a non-deaf person. TeleBraille is made up of a modified Ultratec Supercom TDD and a 20 cell 6 dot Braille display. Typed information for the deaf person is displayed on refreshable Braille cells.This device also enables a deaf person to use a TDD (Telecommunications Device for the deaf) to communicate by telephone. For telephone conversations, the telephone handset is placed on an acoustic coupler or connected directly to the telephone line. This device is normally used by people who are both deaf and blind. [22]
Figure 9: Deaf person using a telebraille [22]
Technology for People with Writing or Motor Disability
Onscreen Keyboard
Onscreen keyboard allows the keyboard functions to be accomplished by a mouse or a switch. Paraplegics that cannot type on a QWERTY keyboard can use this device to type inputs to a computer. They come in many languages, font and color. An example is PenFriend XL. [13]
Abbreviations/Word Prediction Software
Abbreviations can represent any text, salutation or address that is used on a regular basis. The user can abbreviate commonly used phrases or addresses.
Word Predictionsoftware predicts words that could complete the user’s sentences. This is to reduce the amount of keystrokes. These word selections are obtained from the user’s regular choice of words.[13]
Figure 10: PenFriend
Word Prediction Software [13]
Voice Input Applications
Voice Input Applicationsallowthe speech input to control computer functions, writing and communication through the use of computer audio communication functions. An example is the Scan Dragon Naturally Speaking V 7.0.
Speech Recognition
Speech recognition uses spoken commands to control some of the computer functions. This functionality is available on the MAC and PC.
Mouse Enhancers
Mouse Enhancer for paraplegics
Mouse Enhancer for paraplegicshas all of the functions of a four button mouse wheel. [14]
Figure 11: Mouse Enhancers for Paraplegics
Cost: $750:00 [14]
Advanced Joystick-Operated USB Mouse
Advanced Joystick-Operated USB Mouseis a mouth-operated mouse that enables the user without limbs or quadriplegics to use a mouse. [15]
Figure 12: Advanced Joystick-Operated USB Mouse [15]
USB Integra mouse
USBIntegra mouse enables the user to activate allmouse functions. Only 10 grams of lip pressure is required for mouse control. The right and the left click are triggered by variations of air pressure in the oral cavity and mouse piece. [16]
Figure 13: USB Integra Mouse [16]
No Hands Mouse
No Hands Mouse eliminates the need of one’s hands making it beneficial for the users with repetitive stress injuries and rheumatism to use. Two foot pedals are used: one pedal allows the user to control the cursor speed and direction and the other is used as a clicking device. [17] This device costs $315.99.
Figure 14: No hands Mouse [17]
Head Mouse
A head mouse replaces a standard mouse for people who cannot use their hands. It operates from the top of a computer monitor or laptop. It uses wireless sensing technology and employs infrared light to track a small disposable target that is placed on the user’s forehead or glasses. [21] Head Mouse Extreme provides a wide field-of-view and superior precision, supporting even graphics-intensive applications like drawing and computer aided designs. When used with mouse button software, such as Origin Instruments' Dragger, mouse clicks are performed by positioning the pointer and dwelling for a certain period of time. [21]
Figure 15: Head Mouse [21]
EyeGaze Tracking System
Introduction and the Uses of the EyeGaze System
EyeGaze tracking system works with the use of control keys that are displayed on the screen. A person can synthesize speech, control his environment, type letters, operate a telephone, run computer software and access the internet using this system. [19]. It is also used to aid pilots in weapon control. [20] It can also be used as a device to aid people withcerebral palsy, spinal cord injury, brain injury, ALS, multiple sclerosis, brainstem stroke, muscular dystrophy, and Werdnig-Hoffman syndrome. Eyegaze Systems can be used in homes, offices, schools, hospitals, and long-term care facilities. They can be used anywhere since they are portable.
How does EyeGaze System work?
A specialized video camera is mounted below the monitor and observes the user’s eyes. There is a sophisticated image processing software in the EyeGaze system computer that analyses these images and decides where the user is looking. The camera takes approximately sixty pictures per second, and uses infrared light to illuminate the eye. [18]
Calibration
Calibration is a means of putting graduation on a measuring instrument. It is a fifteen second evaluation process. To calibrate, the user fixes their gaze on a sequence of small circles that the system displays on the screen. This process is done only once so when the user comes back to the computer they do not need to do this process again. [18]
Components in the EyeGaze System
The system is made up of a flat panel monitor, a small camera, and adjustable table mounts. The computer weighs only 6 lbs (2.7 kg) and its dimensions are 8 x 7 x 3 inches (20 x 18 x 8 cm). The system can run on a 12 or 24-volt battery or a 110 or 220 VAC house current. [18]
Programs in the Eyegaze System
Telephone programsallow the user to place and receive calls. Phrase programs allow the user along with a speech synthesizer to communicate especially for non-verbal users.
Typewriter programsallow the user to type in text; this can be read back to the user with the use of a screen reader. Lights and Appliances program is computer controlled switching equipment which provides eyegaze control to the lights and appliances anywhere in the home. No special wiring is required. With the games program the user can play games by looking at the camera or the screen. An example is called Paddle. [19]
Skills required for using the EyeGaze system
1. Good control of one’s eye to gaze at the computer monitor. [18]
2. Ability to their keep eyes in the Eyegaze camera's range, because when out of range the camera loses focus. The eye must remain within the field of view of the camera. If the user moves away from the camera's field of view, eye tracking will resume once they returnto a position where their eye is again visible to the camera.[18]
3. Some reading or word recognition skills are needed tofollow instructions that show up on the computer monitor. [18]
References
[1] Braillers and Embossers. Retrieved 30th, January, 2005 from
[2] Prof. Jen Mankhoff, Hesham Kamel. Assistive Technology.Retrieved 30th, January, 2005 from
[3] Braille Voyager. Retrieved 30th, January, 2005 from
[4] Assistive Technology for the blind. Retrieved 30th, January, 2005.
[5] Refreshable Braille Displays. Retrieved 30th, January, 2005 from
[6] Electronic aids for the blind. Retrieved 30th, January, 2005 from
[7] Assistive Technology Centre- Augmentative and Alternative Communications. Retrieved 30th, January, 2005 from
[8] Resource Guide for Individuals with Language and Speech difficulties and Impairments.Retrieved 30th, January, 2005 from
[9] Introducing the world’s only low vision auto-reader. Retrieved 30th, January, 2005 from
[10] Why buy a laptop when you can buy a laptalk or a desktalk? Retrieved 30th, January, 2005 from
[11] Bell Labs Text-to-Speech Synthesis. Retrieved 30th, January, 2005
[12] Screen Readers Retrieved 30th, January, 2005.
[13] Penfriend XL. Retrieved 30th, January, 2005 from
[14] Mouse for Quadriplegics. Retrieved 30th, January, 2005. from
[15] Jouse2 Features and Benefits. Retrieved 30th, January, 2005. from
[16] USB Integra Mouse. Retrieved 30th, January, 2005. from
[17] No hands Mouse. Retrieved 30th, January, 2005. from
[18] Features of the EyeGaze System. Retrieved 30th, January, 2005.
[19] EyeGaze Communication System. Retrieved 30th, January, 2005.
[20] Solutions and Applications. Retrieved 30th, January, 2005.
[21] Head Controlled Computer Access.Retrieved 30th, January, 2005.
[22] Telebraille. Retrieved 30th, January, 2005.