Environmental Control Aid System for People with Physical Disabilities

  • Authors:

  • Cheng-Hong Yang;Li-Yeh Chuang;Cheng-Huei Yang;Ching-Hsing Luo

  • Affiliations:

  • The author is with the Department of Electronic Engineering, National Kaohsiung University of Applied Sciences, Kaohsiung, Taiwan 807. E-mail: chyang@cc.kuas.edu.tw,;The author is with the Department of Chemical Engineering, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan 807.,;The author is with the Department of Computer Communication Engineering, National Kaohsiung Marine University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan 807.,;The author is with the Department of Electrical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan 701.

  • Venue:
  • IEICE - Transactions on Information and Systems
  • Year:
  • 2006

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Abstract

Assistive technology (AT) is becoming increasingly important for improving the mobility and language learning capabilities of persons with disabilities, thus enabling them to function independently and to improve their social opportunities. The Morse code has been shown to be a valuable tool in assistive technology, augmentative and alternative communication, and rehabilitation for people with neuromuscular diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, multiple sclerosis, and muscular dystrophy. In this paper, we designed and implemented a wireless environmental control aid system using the Morse code as an adapted access communication tool, which includes three types of switch: single-switch, double-switch, and six-switch types. People with disabilities can easily control all types of electronic appliance without restrictions owing to spatial arrangements using a signal transmission based on radio frequency (RF). Experimental results revealed that three participants with disabilities were able to gain access to electronic facilities after six weeks of practice with the new system.