Integrated Control and Related Technology of Assistive Devices
By Ding, Dan, PhD; Cooper, Rory A., PhD; Kaminski, Beth Ann, BSE; Kanaly, John R., BS; Allegretti, Ana, BS; Chaves, Eliana, BS; Hubbard, Sandy, MS; Assistive Technology, Vol. 15, No. 2, pp. 89-97Publication Date: Winter 2003
Review discusses research conducted on integrated control systems that allow people with severe physical limitations to complete tasks independently. The advantages of integrated control are that people with limited motor skills can access several devices without assistance, and the user does not have to learn to operate a different mechanism to control each device. Research is presented based on environmental control, computer access, and wheelchair guidance systems. The Smart House concept is discussed, which is an integrated control system applied to houses, apartments, and small buildings with the purpose of increasing safety and security, obtaining comfort, assisting communication, and saving energy. The demonstration home for Smart House technology is called the SmartBo, which is displayed via a software program. The SmartBo computer program displays a view of an apartment, and users can click a mouse to enter a room and see which objects can be controlled. Integrated computer access can be employed to provide access through a person’s wheelchair joystick. Wheelchair-mounted robotic arms, such as the MANUS Manipulator, can help people with disabilities accomplish daily activities. The MANUS Manipulator has a control system that allows for operation of both the wheelchair and the MANUS Manipulator through the wheelchair’s joystick. Many people who use powered wheelchairs also require access to computers, and a mouse can be difficult to operate for some people with disabilities. The Eye Mouse, developed by Norris and Wilson, provides the user with a means to control an ordinary personal computer mouse with a combination of eye movements and blinks. Implications for further research are discussed.
Assistive Products Discussed: ASSISTIVE ROBOTIC MANIPULATOR (ARM)
Published by: Rehabilitation Engineering & Assistive Technology Society of North America (RESNA) (Website:http://www.resna.org)
This publication is included in the library of the National Rehabilitation Information Center (NARIC), accession number J47437
