The Robot Guiding Tom's Writing
By Elliott, Jane; BBC News,Publication Date: October 16, 2009
Article features a robotic arm designed for the practice of fine movement skills for children with dyspraxia, a general deficit in motor skills affecting coordination and movement. The arm is part of an interactive desktop system which can also monitor how the user moves, measuring qualities such as smoothness and speed of movement. It allows children with coordination problems to practice therapist-prescribed exercises at home. The exercises involve children using a pen, guided by the robotic arm, to push objects along a three-dimensional track shown on a computer screen. The system was developed and tested at the British Leeds University in collaboration with scientists at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland and Indiana University in the United States. Testing is planned to determine how long the robot should be used to get the best result outcome and which children would benefit the most from the therapy. The basic system reportedly could be widely available by 2012.
Published by: British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) (Website:http://www.bbc.co.uk)
Link to text: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8308527.stm
