scholarly journals Wireless Home Assistive System for Severely Disabled People

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (15) ◽  
pp. 5226
Author(s):  
Chung-Min Wu ◽  
Yeou-Jiunn Chen ◽  
Shih-Chung Chen ◽  
Chia-Hong Yeng
Keyword(s):  
Severe Disabilities ◽  
Motor Neuron Diseases ◽  
Morse Code ◽  
Communication Problems ◽  
Control Interface ◽  
Cord Injury ◽  
Home Appliance ◽  
Computer Based ◽  
Machine Interface ◽  
Assistive Communication

A lot of people with severe disabilities such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, motor neuron diseases, cerebral palsy, stroke, and spinal cord injury with intubation always have different degrees of communication problems. Therefore, it is very important to develop an effective and easy use assistive communication system for the severely disabled. In this study, a wireless home assistive system (WHAS) with different types of assistive input accessories sensors, Morse code translator, and human machine interface is developed and tested to help the severely disabled communicate with people and machines. A Morse code translator is implemented as an assistive communication core device to facilitate the input of the severely disabled. For the proposed human–machine interfaces, personal computer-based alternative augmentative communication is developed for patients to communicate with other people easily. To promote the quality of life, the home appliance control interface is developed for the severely disabled to directly control the functions of home appliances by themselves. The experimental results showed that the proposed WHAS is practical and feasible. Therefore, the proposed approach can help severely disabled individuals effectively interact with their surroundings.

scholarly journals Improvement of hand functions of spinal cord injury patients with electromyography-driven hand exoskeleton: A feasibility study

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
Youngmok Yun ◽  
Youngjin Na ◽  
Paria Esmatloo ◽  
Sarah Dancausse ◽  
Alfredo Serrato ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Spinal Cord Injury ◽  
Degrees Of Freedom ◽  
Standardized Test ◽  
Hand Function ◽  
Severe Disabilities ◽  
Finger Movements ◽  
Control Approach ◽  
Cord Injury ◽  
Hand Exoskeleton

Abstract We have developed a one-of-a-kind hand exoskeleton, called Maestro, which can power finger movements of those surviving severe disabilities to complete daily tasks using compliant joints. In this paper, we present results from an electromyography (EMG) control strategy conducted with spinal cord injury (SCI) patients (C5, C6, and C7) in which the subjects completed daily tasks controlling Maestro with EMG signals from their forearm muscles. With its compliant actuation and its degrees of freedom that match the natural finger movements, Maestro is capable of helping the subjects grasp and manipulate a variety of daily objects (more than 15 from a standardized set). To generate control commands for Maestro, an artificial neural network algorithm was implemented along with a probabilistic control approach to classify and deliver four hand poses robustly with three EMG signals measured from the forearm and palm. Increase in the scores of a standardized test, called the Sollerman hand function test, and enhancement in different aspects of grasping such as strength shows feasibility that Maestro can be capable of improving the hand function of SCI subjects.

Increasing functional use of an assistive communication device by a student with severe disabilities

1992 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 243-250 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gail McGregor ◽  
Janet Young ◽  
Julia Gerak ◽  
Barbara Thomas ◽  
R. Timm Vogelsberg
Keyword(s):  
Severe Disabilities ◽  
Communication Device ◽  
Assistive Communication

scholarly journals Impaired Autophagy in Motor Neurons: A Final Common Mechanism of Injury and Death

Physiology ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 211-224 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria A. Gonzalez Porras ◽  
Gary C. Sieck ◽  
Carlos B. Mantilla
Keyword(s):  
Motor Neuron ◽  
Motor Neurons ◽  
Common Mechanism ◽  
Mechanism Of Injury ◽  
Therapeutic Approaches ◽  
Motor Neuron Diseases ◽  
Digestion Process ◽  
Cord Injury ◽  
Recent Developments ◽  
Health And Disease

Autophagy is a cellular digestion process that contributes to cellular homeostasis and adaptation by the elimination of proteins and damaged organelles. Evidence suggests that dysregulation of autophagy plays a role in neurodegenerative diseases, including motor neuron disorders. Herein, we review emerging evidence indicating the roles of autophagy in physiological motor neuron processes and its function in specific compartments. Moreover, we discuss the involvement of autophagy in the pathogenesis of motor neuron diseases, including spinal cord injury and aging, and recent developments that offer promising therapeutic approaches to mitigate effects of dysregulated autophagy in health and disease.

scholarly journals Eyes-Free Tongue Gesture and Tongue Joystick Control of a Five DOF Upper-Limb Exoskeleton for Severely Disabled Individuals

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mostafa Mohammadi ◽  
Hendrik Knoche ◽  
Mikkel Thøgersen ◽  
Stefan Hein Bengtson ◽  
Muhammad Ahsan Gull ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Visual Feedback ◽  
Upper Limb ◽  
Degrees Of Freedom ◽  
Continuous Control ◽  
Clinical Case Study ◽  
Upper Limb Exoskeleton ◽  
Control Interface ◽  
Cord Injury ◽  
First Time

Spinal cord injury can leave the affected individual severely disabled with a low level of independence and quality of life. Assistive upper-limb exoskeletons are one of the solutions that can enable an individual with tetraplegia (paralysis in both arms and legs) to perform simple activities of daily living by mobilizing the arm. Providing an efficient user interface that can provide full continuous control of such a device—safely and intuitively—with multiple degrees of freedom (DOFs) still remains a challenge. In this study, a control interface for an assistive upper-limb exoskeleton with five DOFs based on an intraoral tongue-computer interface (ITCI) for individuals with tetraplegia was proposed. Furthermore, we evaluated eyes-free use of the ITCI for the first time and compared two tongue-operated control methods, one based on tongue gestures and the other based on dynamic virtual buttons and a joystick-like control. Ten able-bodied participants tongue controlled the exoskeleton for a drinking task with and without visual feedback on a screen in three experimental sessions. As a baseline, the participants performed the drinking task with a standard gamepad. The results showed that it was possible to control the exoskeleton with the tongue even without visual feedback and to perform the drinking task at 65.1% of the speed of the gamepad. In a clinical case study, an individual with tetraplegia further succeeded to fully control the exoskeleton and perform the drinking task only 5.6% slower than the able-bodied group. This study demonstrated the first single-modal control interface that can enable individuals with complete tetraplegia to fully and continuously control a five-DOF upper limb exoskeleton and perform a drinking task after only 2 h of training. The interface was used both with and without visual feedback.

scholarly journals AN ANALYSIS FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF BIOMECHANICS AND KINESIOLOGY OF A MECHANICAL FUNCTIONAL ORTHESIS FOR SPINAL INJURY LEVEL C6 AND C7

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Spinal Cord Injury ◽  
Spinal Injury ◽  
Severe Disabilities ◽  
Occupational Performance ◽  
Use Of Resources ◽  
Extensor Muscles ◽  
Cord Injury ◽  
Unique Factor

The spinal cord injury is characterized by damage to the spinal canal, which causes various complications in the individual’s life, whether physical, psychological and / or social. The incorporation of Assistive Technology consists of one of the forms of care and of increasing the quality of life of people with severe disabilities, such as quadriplegia. In the present study, there is the presentation of the mechanical functional orthosis for tetraplegic spinal cord injury level C6 and C7, triggered by the contraction of the extensor muscles of the wrist, flexors or extensors of the elbow, kinesiological functions compatible with the remaining functions observed in dermatomes. Understanding the important effects of spinal cord injury on affected patients, it is considered that the use of resources and products that aim to maintain, restore and / or maximize functionality is a primary factor for improving occupational performance. With this in mind, the orthosis presented in this work corroborates this scope, being a unique factor for engagement and return in the performance of activities of daily living, in addition to assisting in the rehabilitation process of these people.

scholarly journals From thought to action: The brain–machine interface in posterior parietal cortex

2019 ◽  
Vol 116 (52) ◽  
pp. 26274-26279 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard A. Andersen ◽  
Tyson Aflalo ◽  
Spencer Kellis
Keyword(s):  
Parietal Cortex ◽  
Posterior Parietal Cortex ◽  
The Body ◽  
Assistive Device ◽  
Brain Machine Interface ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Cord Injury ◽  
Posterior Parietal ◽  
Machine Interface ◽  
The Brain

A dramatic example of translational monkey research is the development of neural prosthetics for assisting paralyzed patients. A neuroprosthesis consists of implanted electrodes that can record the intended movement of a paralyzed part of the body, a computer algorithm that decodes the intended movement, and an assistive device such as a robot limb or computer that is controlled by these intended movement signals. This type of neuroprosthetic system is also referred to as a brain–machine interface (BMI) since it interfaces the brain with an external machine. In this review, we will concentrate on BMIs in which microelectrode recording arrays are implanted in the posterior parietal cortex (PPC), a high-level cortical area in both humans and monkeys that represents intentions to move. This review will first discuss the basic science research performed in healthy monkeys that established PPC as a good source of intention signals. Next, it will describe the first PPC implants in human patients with tetraplegia from spinal cord injury. From these patients the goals of movements could be quickly decoded, and the rich number of action variables found in PPC indicates that it is an appropriate BMI site for a very wide range of neuroprosthetic applications. We will discuss research on learning to use BMIs in monkeys and humans and the advances that are still needed, requiring both monkey and human research to enable BMIs to be readily available in the clinic.

Language Abilities and Culture Clashes in Cyberspace

2012 ◽  
pp. 414-428
Author(s):  
Anna M. Harrington
Keyword(s):  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Teaching Strategies ◽  
Online Communication ◽  
Cultural Norms ◽  
Language Abilities ◽  
Communication Problems ◽  
Efl Students ◽  
Computer Based ◽  
English Speaking ◽  
Computer Based Education

An increasing number of ESL/EFL students are expected to enroll in hybrid (i.e., mixed on-site and online) mainstream courses populated by a majority of native-English-speaking students. However, due to varying language abilities and cultural clashes, the TESOL community has not yet explored the potential online communication problems for ESL/EFL students. This chapter examines issues of differences in language proficiency and cultural norms, identity, community, and muting that can affect computer-based education. The chapter also provides readers with teaching strategies that can be applied in hybrid mainstream courses that include ESL/EFL students.

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