Tabletop computers as Assistive technology, Jennifer George & Gilbert Cockton
{jennifer.george, gilbert.cockton}@sunderland.ac.uk
1. Introduction
This note explores the potential of tabletop computers as assistive technologies for young children with motor impairment. For the purpose of this research young children between the ages of four and seven with severe physical impairment have been chosen. This group of children find competence in dexterity, coordination, speed of movement, hold-grasp capabilities challenging (Lindon, 1963) which may be due to laxity in muscles, tensed muscles, weak muscles, abnormal reflex activity, asymmetry, involuntary movements, growth factors and biomechanics (Levitt, 1995). These physical conditions may result in tremor, spasm, restricted range of motion and reduced strength (Keates, et al., 2002). Most of them also use specialist chairs for controlled movement of arms and mobility. To a motion-impaired user,, and gaining complete adequate control over the computer-based devices can be an immense challenge.
2. Current AT for motor impaired children
Most assistive devices used by this group of children either work through the a keyboard and mouse or emulate the functionality of the keyboard and mouse (WebAim, 2007). Alternative input modalities are introduced or existing devices are modified to cater to the special needs of users. Many ergonomic and assistive devices are also currently available in the market as both Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) which can be used to add to the more usual methods of speech, writing and Assistive Technology (AT) to enable independence for individuals with special needs. Communication devices can be catagorisedcategorisedinto as: Low tech— a communication system that depends on no technology at the time it is being used; Light tech—which is any communication system needing only limited technology to operate,such ase.g., a battery; and High tech—devices, which are communication systems, based upon a greater degree of technology (Ace-Center, 2007).
ATs in education and at home
During the decision making process of selecting AT and AAC devices, in addition to assessing an individual’s the physical needs of the individual, their environment and their care circle are also consulted (Ace, 2008). The care circle may include parents, teachers, SENCO, ICT coordinator, Advisory teacher, LSA/TA, educational psychologist, paediatrician, Speech and Language Therapist, Occupational Therapist and Physiotherapist. Parents are the only constant members of the care circle while; other members can periodically change as the child develops cognitively and physically. Typically, children spend around six hours during term time during weekdays at school. The rest of the time spent at home with family and friends demand constant communication based activities. Any specific use of technology in school shouldn’t be limited to school time and p. Parents, siblings and carers should also be competent in using the communication tools used by the child to communicate. Good modelling selection[gc1] and role-playing of AT devices encourage and motivate children to use them.
Most AT devices available for children in typical classroom computers use mice and keyboards as input devices. Mobile keyboards, alternative mice and monitor arms are some of the most prominent ones (SpecialNeeds Computer Solutions, 2007). Different types of adaptive keyboards are available including those, both virtual and physical. Most of AT and AAC devices are used by children with severe physical impairment while positioned on specialist chairs such as S.A.M seats, Convaid Cruisers or Leckey Whoosh chairs while equipment is positioned on the tables fitted to their chairs or part of their environment. Constant use of arm, wrist and fingers are necessary to have complete control over computer-based systems. Special handles or grips may become necessary to hold small objects. Special bends, curves, handles and grips may also be necessary to improve motor skills (Zisook, 2007). When there is no control over the arm, alternative communication methodsmodalities such as muscle, speech, skin, eye pointer and head movements could also be made usedavailable.
3. The Potential of Tabletop Computers
Media convergence can bring multiple products technologies and devices together,presenting combining their advantages of all merged products in one. Ubiquitous or pervasive computing is brought about by the convergence of media and environment making interactivity more natural and less seamlessseamful[gc2]. Touch and gestural interfaces such as Apple’s iPod and iPhone, Microsoft Surface and Nintendo’s Wii incorporate a variety of input, output, data, connectivity and interoperability.
Challenges of Tabletop interfaces
Surface, a tabletop interface, enables grabbing and moving data using natural touch and gestures (Microsoft, 2008). The direct interaction functionality requires no use of mouse or keyboard, which means more accurate hand movement will be required. The selected target group of children in this research may are highly likely to have difficulty in making precise gestures or movements due to their limited control over fingers, hand, wrist and arms. A further challenge would be that their existing customised tabletop might not be within reach from their specialist seating positions, and also that they may not be able to seat at Tabletops with existing form factors, which tend to be more like kitchen islands in form than tables..
Potential for the user
ThinSight is a regular laptop based multi-touch interface that uses an optical sensing system placed behind an LCD (Izadi,et al., 2007). This allows a much greater range of form factors than is possible with existing tabletop technologies. As Thinsight form factors become available, character enables users onchildren in any seating position may become able to access the tabletop interfaces.
The multi-touch contact enables many points of contact on screen, which means use of palm or fist in contrary to fingers can could be used, rather than fingers., Object recognition on table top computers enables contact and connection with specialist low tech devices which are most used as communication devices at home. Tabletops offer a potential for integrating low tech and light tech devices into a more powerful high tech environment. which also meansAlso, existing specialist mice, and keyboards are may not no longer be required, thus eliminating the a need to counter errors relevant to mice and keyboards. Problems arising for the use of mouse and keyboards by users with special needs are have been eliminated by the introduction of the use of a selfadapting agents that can compensate for errorsthat are common among users with motor impairments (Trewin 2004, Trewin, et al., 2006). Similar agents can be used to enhance the existing adaptability of thecould augment existing tabletop interfaces system software to compensate for motor difficulties when interacting via low tech props (e.g., large pointing and selection objects with custom grips)for error control by way of customised software. The object recognition function enables contact and connection with devices other than fingers, hands or gestures and includes other multimedia devices, which means low tech devices which are the most used as communication devices at homed, can be easily transformed into high tech devices.
Potential for the care circle
The multi-user experience enables any member of the care circle to interact collaboratively without interrupting the user’s control, thus creating further opportunities. This could lead to much more effective use of assistive technologies, and a corresponding acceleration in the educational development of the target group of users for our planned research. Different features could be provided to meet the needs of different roles within the care circle, as well as adapting table top assistive technologies for home, educational and therapeutic use.
4. References
- Ace-Centre, (2007), accessed 25th June 2008
- Izadi, S., Hodges, S., Butler, A., Rrustemi, A., Buxton, B., (2007), ThinSight: Integrated Optical Multi-touch Sensing through Thin Form-facto Displays, ACM 2007, San Diego, California, August 04, 2007.
- Keates, S., Hwang, F., Langdon, P., Clarkson, P.J., Robinson, P.,(2002), Cursor Measures for Motion-Impaired Computer Users, ASSETS 2002, July 8-10, 2002 Edinburgh, Scotland (135-142)
- Levitt, S., (1995), Treatment of Cerebral Palsy and Motor Delay (Third Edition), Cambridge University Press, UK
- Lindon, R.L.,(1963), The Pultibec system for the medical assessment of handicapped children. Develop. Med. Child Neurol. 5. 125-145.
- Microsoft Corporation (2008), Microsoft Surface,
- SpecialNeeds Computer Solutions, (2007), Augmentative Communication Keyboards, accessed 21st September 2007
- WebAIM, (2007), Motor Disabilities, accessed 15th July 2007.
- Zisook, S. O., (2007), Developmental Disability, accessed 11th August 2007.
[gc1]Don’t know what modelling means in this context
[gc2]Seamful comes from the Equator project, can’t explain here, but it’s better to not use a word like seamless here