Enabling a Cerebral Palsy Patient to Use a PC with a Foot-Operated Device Anand Joshi Fahad Khan Suzy Lopez Michael Powell Carlos Vallin Presented at Roswell Nursing Home and Rehabilitation Center April 28th, 2009

Project Overview Continuation of a previous group’s project Designed and implemented a system to allow a cerebral palsy patient to access software applications on a desktop computer Created a customized solution that is cost- effective and addresses the patient’s needs Sponsored by Kiwanis International

Design Features The design includes the following features Non-invasive Robust and lightweight Comfortable and easy-to-use Cost-effective Easy to set up and maintain User-friendly Automatic startup software procedure

Previous System – Starting Point

Problems With Previous System Head Tracking was inaccurate due to extraneous movements by the patient and lack of head control Difficult for patient to see screen when moving head for tracking purposes Need for third party help to attach mouse to wheelchair Wireless mouse runs off of batteries that need to be replaced periodically Wireless mouse was uncomfortable to patient Software interface non-intuitive

New System Nintendo Wiimote – Commercially available for easy replacement Foot Operated Device (FOD) - Scrolling Wiimote Nunchuk - Clicking Hardware/Software translator: GlovePIE New On-Screen Keyboard – Text Editor – Reader and Composer – Web Browser

Pre-Experimentation Constraints The following constraints were observed prior to the first phase of experimentation with the patient Wheelchair-bound Motor skills Speech Living environment

Post-Experimentation Constraints The following constraints were observed after the first phase of experimentation Fatigue with excessive use of the system Involuntary motion while operating the system

Project Goals The system includes the following functionality to accommodate the aforementioned constraints Foot Operated Device and Wiimote mapped patient’s foot movements to the on-screen keyboard Thresholds established for maximum left and right foot movements Horizontal on-screen keyboard with wrap around function and enhanced key functionality Customized , browser and text application

Keyboard Navigation The Wiimote tracks the following three foot movements: Center– Highlights the key Right– Transforms the key to move right Foot rotates to the right and cursor scrolls to the right

Keyboard Navigation The Wiimote tracks the following three foot movements: Center– Highlights the key Right– Transforms the key to move right Left– Transforms the key to move left Foot rotates to the left and cursor scrolls to the left

Snapshot of FOD Interfaced with the Keyboard

Enhanced Keyboard Functionality Main Menu Function gives access to the following applications: Text Editor Application (Read/Write) Web Browser

Text Editor Intuitive interface Scrollable Saves text to a.txt file Auto saves to avoid losing data while switching applications

Application (Reading Interface) “Get New” button should be used for downloading new s Reading Pane toggle added for better patient control

Application (Writing Interface) Easy to use and self explanatory buttons such as “From”, “To”, “Subject”, ”Body” This eliminated repeated toggling and resulted in making the whole processes faster and more efficient.

Web Browser “Enter URL” button should be used for entering website addresses ↑ is used for scrolling up ↓ is used for scrolling down → for scrolling across the page

Scalability Measures The design serves as a framework to develop further applications by taking advantage of the following Predictive text technology Develop software applications that take into account the patient inputs Specialized gadgets Games(Patient prefers Bingo) Instant Messaging Twitter

Changes in Software Proposed FeaturesAdditional Features Foot-controlled navigation Glove pie used as a translator between HW/SW Text editor application Custom application Custom web browser Center cursor application Keyboard Wrap Around Function Accelerated scrolling Text-to-speech Error-correction Stability control Configuration file Predictive text technology

Changes in Hardware DeviceProposedFinal Foot Operated Device LED cluster Reflective Tape IR LED used in conjunction with Wiimote Clicking mechanism Mouse with 30’ range Attached to wheel chair One magnetic sensor Nunchuk Wii device Attached to Desk not wheelchair

Cost of Parts and Equipment The following costs include development expenses: Projected cost $2,000 Actual cost$265 CPIO group made used “off the shelf” products to minimize cost and reduce replacement difficulty Labor was provided by the CPIO Group from the Georgia Institute of Technology

Hardware Recommendations The following improvements can be made to increase the accuracy of the input devices Mount the webcam on an adjustable stand Reduce the size of the mouse enclosure Obtain tighter finger glove and stronger magnet Identify additional methods of input Attach the armrest to a desk Design a wireless foot pedal

Software Recommendations The following improvements can be made to make a more comprehensive user interface Automate software startup procedure Improve error-correction algorithms Enable user to navigate within text Enhance dictionary Extend web browser to handle all content Allow user to use horizontal and vertical motion Create easy-to-use configuration interface

Questions?