Electronic aids help the handicapped

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33941, 6 September 1975, Page 20

Electronic aids help the handicapped

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GEORGE ATKIN

Researchers at Canterbury University have discovered that electronic control equipment can help severely handicapped people to become more independent.

Research over three years into electronic aids has discovered that by developing electroniccontrol equipment, a quadrapelgic can switch on or off any given piece of equipment in ssec. A quadraplegic can switch on or off electrical apparatus such as radio, television, stereo, or fan with head, forefinger, or chin. Two quadraplegics are at present using two units which work the same way. One uses either forefinger or head to switch a unit on or off and the other uses only her head. This is because the man can move his head and his arms, while the woman can move only her head, very slightly. Four years ago, the university’s electrical department first designed an electrically driven wheelchair for Mr Chris Williamson, who had become handicapped after a diving accident'.

He can control the steering, speed, and the forwardreverse motions of the wheelchair. With the new development, he can now turn on or off a radio, television, stereo, or fan with his head or forefinger by resting it on the control unit. A senior lecturer in electrical engineering at the university, Mr A. H. Barth, said , that the research was started in 1973 in order to find something which could help severely physically handicapped "people. Such people have little or no conscious control over their body movements, and are entirely dependent on others for help. “We first worked on the mouth-operated switch, which was found to be a success,” Mr Barth said. “This was! after they were successful with the electrical wheelchair. “As a result of the continuous success, we were asked to develop a simple switching device which would

be easy to operate and control and so that electrical apparatus such as radio, television, fans, stereo and lights could be connected to the switching unit. “In further researches, we; developed a ‘spelling I machine’ on which a quadra-: ! plegic can write messages by! { using a head-operated switch-! jing unit. ! “Its present user, a woman i who cannot speak and can; i only move her head slightly, |will soon be able to switch; lon or off a radio, stereo, tele|vision, or fan with her head; i by resting it on the switching { unit, as well as using the spelling machine. “An old electric typewriter! could also be connected to{ I the unit to enable her to I 'type,” Mr Barth said. I The units worked on a -code-system basis. Mr Barth said that the re-1 ■ search had shown that elec-' tronic control equipment could help severely handicapped people to become' {more independent.

“We are progressing well with the experiment, and are level with other overseas countries which are also doing research into the same project. | “At present, a fully expanded version of the unit is almost complete which will allow a severely handicapped person to control nine appliances,” Mr Barth said. But there will be contrasts on any requirements of each] {patient; and any equipment] j produced in quantity will be ■ versatile so that a suitable {system can be assembled. { The researchers are still {trying to design control { {devices which will assist a ! few quadraplegics, and. hope | to construct and evaluate a {small range of devices which I {can later be modified and {extended to meet the needs of many others. Mr Williamson is one of . the many at the hospital who {rely on others for help through no fault of their own. “I am very grateful for those researchers who have made available through their ; studies the equipment which; now enables me to be more independent after my accident,” he said.

“It is an intriguing experience for me and the other patient,” he said.