Creating adapted scanning routines for individuals with CVI or multiple disabilities

This article was written for my consulting business but I have decided to release it publicly due to significant demand.  It outlines how to create adapted scanning routines in Open Office (free, open source software) for choice making, expressive and conceptual measurement activities.  The scanning routines are highly customisable down to the last detail and are ideal for complex adaptations such as making the visuals accessible for individuals who have cortical visual impalement.  This is a great entry point for scanning and can be setup using free software, and basic hardware.  It may also interest support teams who have tried scanning PCS but found the individual had a hard time focusing on the selection items.  Open Office allows for full screen, moving (with video) selection elements that are clear and easy to connect conceptually to the real objects they represent.  Give it a try and feel free to contact me with any questions.

Adapted Drawing

I was working on adapting a marker for an individual today when I remembered that I had documented these adaptations years ago.  I found these designs worked well if an individuals hands turn due to scoliosis or for individuals who have trouble with fine motor but can move their arms.

Niall Brown Portfolio

I have developed a portfolio of tools and strategies I have created for consumers, parents and team members. Due to the amount of material that may be useful to people who are involved in the field of emergent communication, I have decided to release it on creativeexpressions.org. If you would like more information I am working to set up a professional site.

Please allow time for the .PDF file to load.

The Eye Gaze Frame

The eye gaze frame is a strategy that I have seen used in special needs classrooms. It allows a communication facilitator to position pictures in such a way that they can easily follow an individuals gaze to the one they are selecting or showing an interest in.

I have had some success with individuals who had difficulty identifying pictures by velcroing actual tangible symbols (concrete cues) to the frame.

The BBQ Tong Switch

The BBQ tong switch is an adapted single switch that can be put together with parts you can find at dollar stores and your local electronics parts suppler.

This switch was designed to be very versatile by allowing it to be used in may different positions that are a challenge for standard button and grip switches to accommodate.

Developed by: Niall Brown

Where do I find the parts?!

People often ask where do I find the parts like mono plugs and jacks, wire, switches and other components used in the articles. You will likely find many of them by searching online and ordering.  For example I purchased 100 tact switches for $4 on Amazon.ca.

If you happen to live in a large Canadian City you can also try:

Toronto, Canada
Honson Computer probably has the best prices I have found and should have most of the switch parts.
www.honson.com
306 College St. (inside Home Hardware)
416-967-9333

Creatron may also carry some of the parts but they will be just slightly more expensive.
www.creatroninc.com
255 College St.
416-977-9258

I think that this place has a few things also if you don't find what you are looking for.
Alpha Plus Computers
287 College St.
416-323-0898

Active Toronto
3790 Victoria Park Ave, # 100, Toronto, Ontario, M2H 3H7 Canada
Phone: (416) 498-9886
Email: toronto@active-tech.ca
Store Hours: Mon-Fri. 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM / Sat. 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM / Sun. Closed


Ottawa, Canada
Active Ottawa
1465 Merivale Road, K2E 5N9
Phone: (613) 728-7900
Email: ottawa@active-tech.ca
Store Hours: Mon-Fri. 8:00 AM - 5:30 PM / Sat. 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM / Sun. Closed
May have parts in stock or can order them

Montreal, Canada
Active Montreal
5349 Ferrier, Montreal, Quebec, H4P 1M1 Canada
Phone: (514) 731-7441
Email: montreal@active-tech.ca
Store Hours: Mon-Fri. 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM / Sat. 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM / Sun. Closed


Winnipeg, Canada
Active Winnipeg
106 King Edward Street East, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3H 0N8 Canada
Phone: (204) 786-3131
Email: Winnipeg@active-tech.ca 
Store hours: Mon-Fri. 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM / Sat. 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM / Sun. Closed

Edmonton, Canada
Active Edmonton
6029 103rd Street North West, Edmonton, Alberta T6H 2H3 Canada
Phone: (780) 438-0644
Email: edmonton@active-tech.ca
Store Hours:
Mon-Fri. 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM / Sat. 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM / Sun. Closed
  
Calgary, Canada 
Active Calgary
2015-32nd Ave N.E., Unit 1, Calgary, Alberta, T2E 6Z3 Canada 
Phone: (403) 291-5626

Email: calgary@active-tech.ca
Store Hours:  Mon-Fri. 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM / Sat. 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM / Sun. Closed

Canada wide online
I'm told that you can order all kinds of switches and other components from Digikey online.  At the time of writing this it costs $8 shipping inside Canada so I would recommend only using this for large orders to make it worth while.

http://www.digikey.ca/

Other Places:
Ask around for a local supplier in your nearest large town or check 'The Source' (formally Radio Shack).  They may also carry some parts but the price may not be very good. It pays to seek out a geeky friend or relative who can help to guide you to the best prices.

Good luck hunting.

Self stim using very limited mobility

This adaption allows someone who cannot see their hands, significantly move them or raise their own hands to self-stimulate. This would typically benefit those individuals who have virtually no movement. The sparkling paddle requires only a slight rocking motion from the hands but through the use of a video camera zoomed in and plugged in to a TV this moment makes a very soothing and interesting visual light pattern. The pattern changes the more the individual varies their slight hand movement. This activity has been a big success with some individuals, it has lead to increased hand moment and visual alertness as well as offering a chance for the individual to feel feedback form their own body. Watch the video to see how it works.

Adaptive Use Musical Instrument Fee Beta

Adaptive Use Musical Instrument supported by DEEP LISTENING INSTITUTE is in beta but is offered for free from the website of the creator and works great. The software is intended to be used to play music by tracking, for example, an individuals nose with a webcam. The software allows individuals with limited mobility to express themselves through music by providing many types of interaction that allow it to track a facial feature and many other types of movement. The software at this time (May 28,09) is only for Mac computers but it is expected to be available for Windows at some point. These are videos of just a few of the interaction types. Note that the adaptation using the trapeze allows an individual who has better mobility when their arms are extended to have more control over the program. The coloured play dough helps the program to track the movement. See the next post for some ways to setup voice output to trigger with body or hand movement.

Adaptive Use Musical Instrument Site

Adaptive Use Musical Instrument (voice output)

Continued from above post but with voice output...
The software (Adaptive Use Musical Instrument) is quite versatile so I've come up with some unintended uses including the ability to allow individuals with eye movement to express 2 (or possibly at most 4) expressions using voice output. This works best with an individual who's head is very still. Also bring the webcam up as close as possible to make the pupil bigger.

I recorded some soundbites in .Aif format (I think it was .Aif). I think the program can read several formats but Aif. was the first I tried in Garage Band on the Mac and it worked great. Then I just dropped them in the sound folder that resides with the program files. When you select your input method it gives you drop down menus to pick the sounds you want to apply to each region of the screen. Just select your recordings and you are ready to go.

Adaptive Use Musical Instrument Site


Face tracking, for example, following a nose can also be used with voice output in the same way.

Language Output Example Template

If you have been following the last two posts you might be ready to try making your own voice output program. I have created a template in OpenOffice.org Impress so you can try one out or even adapt this to your needs. Download the template.

Download the OpenOffice.org suite to get started with the template.






Also if you don't have a single switch for the computer there are instructions on this blog how to make them or if you aren't technically inclined you can use the $0.00 Big Mac switch adaption from this site to advance the slides (however you will not be able to use more advanced interactions).

Language Output Program

This video shows a presentation made in OpenOffice.org Impress (free) that allows an individual to make a choice by scanning language and visual output that they advance using an adapted single switch. This allows an individual with very limited mobility and expressive ability to make choices or express language. This video shows a system that allows an individual to choose their favorite sensory light.

Language Output Progarm (Concepts)

This simple presentation made on OpenOffice.org Impress (free) allows an individual to access Communication pieces using a single switch (button, grip, puff, foot...). The communication pieces can be voice, sign or even use photos or videos of real objects the individual recognizes. This simple adaption can give an individual the ability to express communication about concepts using just one small movement to scan.

Changing channels with a single switch

This adaption allows an individual to change the channel on a TV using an assistive switch and a battery interrupter. (instructions for making an interrupter are on this blog or one can be purchased online from assistive device retailers)





Simply insert the batter interrupter into the remote to cut off the power supply then find a way to clamp the channel up button down. Attach the switch to the battery interrupter so it will restore power to the remote and you are all set. When you press the switch the power of the remote will come on and the channel up button will send the signal to the TV.

The $0.00 big mac computer switch

The $0.00 big mac switch for your computer. Find a container lid and tape it to the desk so that the edge lays over the space bar.

This adaption works with any program that uses the spacebar to activate it such as Powerpoint/Impress for advancing slides

By Niall Brown

*Not recommended for rough users, or get an old keyboard*

Developed by Niall Brown

Single Switch Activation Mouse

This modification to a computer mouse allows users to use any 1/4" adapted switch to make a right mouse click. This adaptation provides users with:

• Single click access to Power Point
• Single click access to most CD-ROM stories
• Access to SENSwitcher, SSMP and other single switch programs
• Access to any process activated with the right mouse button

Download instructions

Another option is (if the mouse is USB) to pull the circut board right out and put it in a project box like the image below. This is ideal when the hardware wont fit inside the mouse.

The soft flap switch

Make a soft and easy assistive flap switch out of a CD storage case. This switch works with all 1/4" switch adapted toys the Powerlink and the adapted computer mouse shown below.

This article was updated on Oct 27, 2007. The switch is now sewn shut in addition to being glued.

Download instructions PDF

Developed by Niall Brown

The New Battery Interrupter

A battery interrupter allows some battery powered device to work with an assistive single switch.The battery interrupter stops the circuit by blocking the flow of current at the point where the battery connects to the terminal of the toy. The interrupter diverts the current to to a the assistive switch so that the current may only flow when the switch is pressed.

Download Instructions in PDF

Note that the last battery interrupter was pulled from the site because it was not strong enough. This updated version is more sturdy and fits in the battery casing better.

Developed By Niall Brown

Adapted RC Car Integration Activity

This adapted activity was designed to be a co-operative activity that an individual with very limited mobility can do with a peer. Integrated activities with individuals who have limited motility can be a challenge and are often unbalanced because their peer often has to take on guiding role for the individual to be successful. With the adapted RC car both individuals work at the same level.

The activity consists of an RC car that has it's forward button on the controller adapted to an assistive switch. The individual with limited mobility presses the switch to propel the car and their peer controls the steering of the car with the other buttons on the controller.

Adapting the controller is a project for people with a fairly good knowledge of circuitry or the adventurous like me who simply short circuited every soldering point I could find until the car sprang to life. Once I found the two points that made the car go forward I soldered speaker wire to the points and connected them to a 1/4 inch mini jack. I also chose a car that had a controller with buttons instead of analog controls because I wasn't sure if I could short circuit the analog sticks. This is what I came up with:










Here are some videos of the car in action:

Discovering music preferences and controlling a music playlist

This method was designed to allow an individual to indicate a preference for a certain style of music without the use of language or significant movement.

Find a media player such as VLC (a cross platform media player, Google it) that has music track advance buttons that will not scan through the song when the button is held down. iTunes and Windows Media player do scan and will not work for this strategy.

Import a large and diverse collection of music with greatly contrasting styles. For VLC just add a folder of music and select “random” and “repeat all.” Start playing the music and using switch access that activates the left mouse button, hover the pointer over the advance button.

As the music plays, pay close attention to what songs the individual pauses on or listens to in full. This may give you some idea of what they enjoy listening to.

This video demonstrates how to use VLC with the switch: