Device for ALS Patient Preliminary Presentation Group 13: Kathleen - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Unobstructive Communication Device for ALS Patient

Preliminary Presentation Group 13: Kathleen Xu, Patrick Wong, Marie Walicki

Background

• Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s Disease)
• Neurodegenerative disease that causes muscle weakness, paralysis, and

respiratory failure

• Affects more than 450,000 people
• No cure currently
• Medications like Riluzole can reduce damage to motor neurons and muscle

fatigue

• Stephen Hawking

Problem

• 19 year old girl with ALS
• Nonverbal
• Uses an eye-gaze device that tracks her

eye movements on her monitor

• Synthesizes speech based on buttons
• Monitor is mounted on the patient’s

wheelchair via Mount’n Mover

• Monitor currently cannot be used outside of

wheelchair

• Limited access to communication

Need Statement

A way for an ALS patient to effectively communicate with their alternative speech devices outside of their wheelchair to optimize their access to communication

Project Scope

• Goal: Help the patient to communicate effectively outside of her wheelchair.
• Deliverables: Physical prototype, a CAD drawing of the device, and reports
• f the development process.
• The project will be completed when a prototype is produced with device

specifications that can be replicated, by April 17, 2017.

• Costs: $300 or less

Specific Design Requirements

• Design an extension to the patient’s system rather than a whole new system
• Mount the patient’s communication monitor within their range of vision while

the patient is outside her wheelchair

• Weight of device: less than 5 kg
• Weight device can support: at least 5 kg
• Rotational Range: at least 180 degrees in sagittal plane & 360 degrees in

transverse plane

• Dimensions of connection to monitor: 7 cm x 15 cm x 2 cm
• Cost: $300

Existing Solutions: Mount’n Mover

• Patient currently uses Mount’n Mover which is

patented by Blue Sky Designs

• Attaches on the wheelchair
• Adjusts the speech device to the optimal angle for

patients

• Cost: ~$800 - $1200
• Limitations: Does not rotate to the appropriate eye

plane level for a patient not sitting upright

Existing Solutions: Brain Computer Interfaces (BCI)

• Control electronic devices by reading electric

signals in brain

• Brain signal acquisition
• Feature filter and extraction
• Translation algorithm
• Output device commands
• Invasive (bottom) and non-invasive (top)

depending on severity

• Limitations: speed of communication, availability

and cost ($5000-$10,000 for non-invasive)

Existing Solutions: HeadMouse Nano

• Augmentative communication method that

replaces standard computer mouse

• Designed for people who cannot use their hands
• Wireless optical sensor tracks head movements

to determine mouse movements

• Can be used on speech-generating devices
• Cost: ~$1000
• Limitations: our patient does not have the ability to

fully control her head movements

Existing Solutions: The Computer

• Stephen Hawking’s computer system
• Assistive Context-Aware Toolkit (ACAT):

word prediction algorithm

• Speech Plus: speech synthesis
• Cursor scans across soft keyboard
• Uses cheek movements detected by his

spectacles to stop cursor

• Limitations: resources are not feasible for
• ur patient

Preliminary Design Schedule

Division of Responsibilities

• Marie Walicki: device modeling and professional contact
• Patrick Wong: literature research, CAD models, and report compositions
• Kathleen Xu: client contact, prototype design, and webpage management

Questions?