Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Tabl e 5 . 1 :
Initial questions used to define a need
1. What is the exact nature of the task that needs to be accomplished?
2. Will the device be used in the home, school, or work setting?
3. What supports will be in place for that individual?
4. What other devices are in use, and will the new device in any way compromise the
use of other devices?
and the existence of supporting soft technologies to ensure success. The pri-
mary determinant is whether the project is technically feasible. Additionally,
CanAssist is focused on supplying devices when none exist commercially, so
it is crucial to determine whether a solution already exists commercially. If a
suitable device already exists, the client is directed to the source; if not, then
a team will be assembled to develop the new device.
The client is a member of the design team, and is consulted on a continuous
basis during the development of the device and after its delivery. To avoid the
pitfalls associated with device abandonment, it is paramount that the client's
expectations for performance and usefulness of the device are realistic and
agreed upon by all parties.
5.4.1 Successful Projects
Keeping Marion connected at 92:
Marion is 92 and has mild dementia.
She lives in a care facility. CanAssist was approached by her daughter to
develop an easy-to-use system by which she and her mother could regularly
communicate (Marion is not able to use a regular phone). Thus, the activity
is leisure and the activity output is communication. The context of use is
primarily Marion's care facility.
In considering the development of the assistive technology component, the
CanAssist team recognized that a broad constituency of users might have
similar needs. The team's approach was to create a simple program based on
Skype, a software application that lets people make free phone calls over the
Internet. The new program, called CanConnect, simplifies the standard Skype
user interface. CanConnect makes Skype accessible to people who have never
used computers or are intimidated by them, and to people who are unable
to use a regular mouse or keyboard. One benefit of using Skype is that it
includes both audio and visual connections between the two parties.
To use CanConnect, Marion views a small gallery of photos, which are
displayed on a computer screen. Using a touch-screen computer monitor, she
simply touches the image of her daughter to establish audio and video con-
tact with her. Other options for making audio and video contact include
using an EMG headband, a webcam, or an eye tracking system. Marion
