Wheelchair Controlled by Hands Gestures Recognition

Biometrics ◽  
2017 ◽  
pp. 1727-1753 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arminda Guerra Lopes

This chapter presents the development of a new human-machine interface - a wheelchair controlled by the recognition of human hands' static gestures. The application will allow the occupant of an intelligent wheelchair to communicate with certain objects in order to facilitate their daily life. The suggested methodology draws on the use of computational processes and low-cost hardware. The development of the application involved dealing with computer vision issues in a comprehensive way. It was based on the steps of video image capture, image segmentation, feature extraction, pattern recognition and classification. In terms of its relevance and impact, the application described in the chapter promotes a more natural and intuitive mode of interaction for disabled individuals, which is expected to improve their quality of life.

Author(s):  
Arminda Guerra Lopes

This chapter presents the development of a new human-machine interface - a wheelchair controlled by the recognition of human hands' static gestures. The application will allow the occupant of an intelligent wheelchair to communicate with certain objects in order to facilitate their daily life. The suggested methodology draws on the use of computational processes and low-cost hardware. The development of the application involved dealing with computer vision issues in a comprehensive way. It was based on the steps of video image capture, image segmentation, feature extraction, pattern recognition and classification. In terms of its relevance and impact, the application described in the chapter promotes a more natural and intuitive mode of interaction for disabled individuals, which is expected to improve their quality of life.


Author(s):  
Ricardo Proença ◽  
Arminda Guerra ◽  
Pedro Campos

The authors present a new system that exploits novel human-machine interfaces based on the recognition of static gestures of human hands. The aim is to aid the occupant of a wheelchair to have access to certain objects in order to facilitate his or her daily life. The authors’ approach is based on simple computational processes and low-cost hardware. Its development involves a comprehensive approach to computer vision problems based on video image capture, image segmentation, feature extraction, pattern recognition and classification. The importance of this work will be reflected in the way that differently-able users, with the use of new models of interaction, and in a natural and intuitive way, will have their life significantly facilitated.


Author(s):  
Yuriko Saito

This chapter argues for the importance of cultivating aesthetic literacy and vigilance, as well as practicing aesthetic expressions of moral virtues. In light of the considerable power of the aesthetic to affect, sometimes determine, people’s choices, decisions, and actions in daily life, everyday aesthetics discourse has a social responsibility to guide its power toward enriching personal life, facilitating respectful and satisfying interpersonal relationships, creating a civil and humane society, and ensuring the sustainable future. As an aesthetics discourse, its distinct domain unencumbered by these life concerns needs to be protected. At the same time, denying or ignoring the connection with them decontextualizes and marginalizes aesthetics. Aesthetics is an indispensable instrument for assessing and improving the quality of life and the state of the world, and it behooves everyday aesthetics discourse to reclaim its rightful place and to actively engage with the world-making project.


2021 ◽  
Vol 147 ◽  
pp. 111287
Author(s):  
Evan Campbell ◽  
Fanny Petermann-Rocha ◽  
Paul Welsh ◽  
Carlos Celis-Morales ◽  
Jill P. Pell ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
Stefano Tozza ◽  
Dario Bruzzese ◽  
Daniele Severi ◽  
Emanuele Spina ◽  
Rosa Iodice ◽  
...  

Abstract Introduction In Charcot-Marie-Tooth type 1A (CMT1A) patients, daily life is mainly influenced by mobility and ambulation dysfunctions. The aim of our work was to evaluate the perception of disturbances that mostly impact on daily life in CMT1A patients and its difference on the basis of age, gender, disability, and quality of life. Methods Forty-one CMT1A patients underwent neurological assessment focused on establishing clinical disability through the Charcot-Marie-Tooth Neuropathy Score (CMTNS) and quality of life through the Short Form-36 (SF-36) questionnaire. We identified from CMT disturbances 5 categories [weakness in lower limbs (WLL), weakness in upper limbs (WUL), skeletal deformities (SD), sensory symptoms (SS), balance (B)] and patients classified the categories from the highest to the lowest impact on daily life (1: highest; 5: lowest). Ranking of the 5 categories, in the overall sample and in the different subgroups (dividing by gender, median of age and disease duration, CMTNS, domains of SF-36), was obtained and differences among subgroups were assessed using a bootstrap approach. Results Rank analysis showed that WLL was the most important disturbance on daily life whereas WUL had the lowest impact. In the older CMT1A group, the most important disturbance on daily life was B that was also the most relevant disturbance in patients with a greater disability. SD influenced daily life in younger patients. SS had less impact on daily life, with the exception of patients with a milder disability. Discussion Our findings demonstrated that the perception of disturbances that mostly impact on CMT1A patients’ daily life changes over the lifetime and with degree of disability.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 50-50
Author(s):  
Ha Neul Kim ◽  
Seok In Nam

Abstract Since 1980s professionals and social service providers have focused on aging at the place where people lived. This is the initial concept of the Aging in Place (AIP). Over 40 years, the topics have developed and extended to other disciplines welcoming different perspectives in the study of AIP. Therefore, this study aims to understand the overall research trends in Aging in Place (AIP) studies using text mining analysis to track the evolvement of AIP subtopics not only in Gerontology but also in various fields. To identify the topic trends, we collected the titles, abstracts, and keywords from 1,372 international articles that were published from 1981 to 2019. Then, keywords were extracted and cleaned based on precedent literature and discussions. We analyzed the keywords based on the degree of centrality and visualized the keyword-networks using VOSviewer and Pajek. Top-most popular keywords are “independent living”, “housing”, “older adults”, “home care”, “daily life activity” and “quality of life.” The change in topic trends shows that in the 1980s to early-2000s, research focused on organization and management level of intervention, home(housing) for the older adults, long term care. In the mid-2010s, health-related topics such as daily life activity, health service, health care delivery and quality of life have emerged. Recently, the topics have extended further to technology, caregiver, well-being, and environment design, environmental planning that support independent living of oneself. The research result shows that the interdisciplinary approach regarding AIP is not only inevitable but also encouraged for an in-depth discussion of the field.


Author(s):  
Gema Esteban ◽  
Mónica Ruano ◽  
Isabel Motero

Wolfram Syndrome (WS) is a rare disease (RD) with an estimated prevalence of 1/770,000 inhabitants. It is considered a multisystemic, chronic and progressive disease.WS diagnosis implies devastating consequences at physical, educational and emotional levels. WS is also known by the acronym DIDMOAD, derived from the first letters of the main clinical symptoms: Diabetes Insipidus, Diabetes Mellitus, Optic Atrophy, and Deafness. Rare diseases are characterized by their low prevalence and the lack of knowledge on the pathophysiology and treatment of them. Interestingly, around 80% of RD have a genetic basis, and this fact causes doubts and uncertainties in the couples, about the idea of having another child. The existence of a RD in a family, alters significantly the relationships and the quality of life within the family. The present work remarks the huge value of psychosocial aspects in order to pay an adequate attention to these patients, not only taking care of the clinical aspects. The main purpose of this study has been to ascertain the quality of life of Wolfram’s syndrome affected patients, and its impact in the daily life.


2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 2473011418S0052
Author(s):  
Akiyama Yui ◽  
Takaaki Hirano ◽  
Hisateru Niki

Category: Ankle Arthritis Introduction/Purpose: There are few reports describing conservative therapy for ankle osteoarthritis. Hiflex Foot Gear (HFG) is a custom-made polyethylene ankle–foot orthosis developed to permit slight mobility of the ankle while providing adequate ankle support. The purpose of this study was to validate the hypothesis that HFG improves the quality of life (QOL) in patients with ankle osteoarthritis.Subjects and methods. Methods: Ten ankles from eight patients (one man, seven women) diagnosed with ankle osteoarthritis at this hospital, prescribed an HFG, and observed for follow-up for at least 3 months were included in this study. The patients’ mean age was 69.9 (range: 46?85) years. Patients were classified as Takakura–Tanaka stage IIIa (2 ankles), stage IIIb (2 ankles), stage IV (6 ankles), with a mean observation period of 8.9 (range: 3?13) months. Clinical evaluations were made before and 3 months after wearing the orthosis. The ankle/hindfoot scale of the Japanese Society for Surgery of the Foot (JSSF) Standard Rating System and the Self-Administered Foot Evaluation Questionnaire (SAFE-Q) subscale of the Japanese Orthopaedic Association/Japanese Society for Surgery of the Foot, respectively, were used for making evaluations. Scores were compared using a paired t-test. Results: JSSF scores improved from 55.1 points at baseline to 71.4 points after wearing the HFG (p < 0.001). According to the SAFE-Q subscales, changes after wearing the HFG were as follows: 28.9 to 61.9 points for items related to pain (p < 0.001), 36.9 to 53.7 points for those related to physical function and daily life (p = 0.001), 31.3 to 58.9 points for those related to social functions (p = 0.002), and from 31.3 to 65.0 points for those related to overall perception of health (p < 0.001); items related to shoes showed no substantial change (from 52.1 to 53.6 points). Conclusion: Our results revealed that wearing the HFG improved pain in patients with severe ankle osteoarthritis. Retained flexibility in the ankle range of motion was believed to be the factor underlying improvements in physical function and daily life, social functions, and overall perception of health. HFG is a potential option for conservative therapy in patients who cannot obtain sufficient pain control during the preoperative waiting period or in those who do not wish to undergo surgery.


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