SIG-11 Computer Applications Show and Tell

2009 RESNA Annual Conference
New Orleans, Louisiana

Facilitator: Jamie Arasz Prioli, ATP
Assistive Technology Consultant
Brick, New Jersey
732/331-5379

jamie -at- japriolisolutions.com

Microlight Switch Mount for Bluetooth Headset and
Switch-adapted Wii Remote

Andy E. Lin, MS
Technology Specialist
Center for Applied Rehabilitation Technology
Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center
562/401-6811

alin -at- dhs.lacounty.gov

Microlight Switch Mount for Bluetooth Headset

This custom adaptation was designed for a client who utilizes a Plantronics over-the-head bluetooth headset for cellphone use. The client prefers this type of headset as opposed to the in-the-ear or over-the-ear styles. The client uses a Headmouse with on-screen keyboard and word prediction for computer access. A microlight switch at the chin is used for selection.

Locline, a type of modular component primarily used in machine shops for fluid delivery, was utilized for the custom microlight switch mount. Locline is easy to work with and also allows for the right amount of flexibility and adjustability for positioning the microlight switch. Originally, the mount was attached to a headband, but the client expressed that the headband was uncomfortable to wear in conjunction with his bluetooth headset.

To resolve this issue, the locline mount was directly attached to the bluetooth headset. Client is in the process of evaluating the effectiveness of this headset mount.

Switch-Adapted Wii Remote

The occupational and recreational therapy departments at Rancho have been using the Wii with patients over the past year and a half for certain parts of their therapy. In the initial stages of its use, therapists expressed that many patients were not able to activate the buttons on the Wii remote or time their activation correctly in order to perform functions in games or time it correctly (e.g. hold and release the bowling ball in Wii Sports).

Switch-adapted Wii remotes were not commercially available at that time. The schematics of the Wii remote circuit board were obtained from a gaming website. A tri-wing screwdriver was used to remove the casing of the Wii remote and access the components inside.

Certain contact points on the circuit board corresponding to the buttons "A" and "B" were soldered to wires and standard 1/8" jacks. The end result is a Wii remote that had two switch inputs for which any standard switches could be connected to.

The Look-At/Look-Through Interface

Denis Anson, MS, OTR
Director of Research and Development
Assistive Technology Research Institute
Misericordia University
570/674-6413
570/674-8054 fax

danson -at- misericordia.edu

The Look-At/Look-Through interface uses a combination of conventional and heads-up display to provide access to an individual who uses an on-screen keyboard. Although the interface has a very-high geek factor, it also appears to offer a very significant improvement in productivity over the conventional use of a head-pointer and on-screen keyboard.

Using Wireless Microphones for Both
Computers and Telephones

Ray Grott, MA, ATP, RET
RET Project
San Francisco State University

rgrott -at- sfsu.edu

Wireless/cordless microphone options have been available for computer and telephone applications for a good while. Until relatively recently, the options have been:

Computers: Wireless RF microphones drawn from the pro-audio world and often fairly expensive. Once turned on, they did not have to be handled.

Telephones: Cordless handsets with plug-in wired headsets were available for home. Wireless headset systems made by Plantronics and GN Netcom were available for offices. (One typically has to depress a button on the headset near the ear to take the phone off hook.)

Devices to switch the headset between a computer and telephone have been based on corded systems or have used a computer interface (such as the SAJE Tech Communicator, which is wireless.)

With the advent of Bluetooth, more options have evolved as newer models of Bluetooth headsets with better quality signals have been able to pair and switch between two or more receiving devices (e.g., cell phone and bluetooth card or dongle on a computer). Current wireless products that can work with BOTH computers for speech recognition and telephones now include:

Plantronics Calisto Pro Bluetooth. ($270) - You can switch between multiple Bluetooth-enabled devices and includes a wireless telephone base (single analog line only). The headset without telephone base can be purchased bundled with NaturallySpeaking Preferred and some speech software.

Sennheiser BW 900 ($300) - Over the ear, highest accuracy rating on Nuance/NaturallySpeaking site for Bluetooth. Need to use a Bluetooth card or dongle or a telephone / CPU switch connect to a computer. Designed for business environments-ties into existing telephone base.

Plantronics CS50 and CS70 (Not Bluetooth) - Used with a telephone / CPU switch GN Netcom 9120 EHS (Not Bluetooth) used with a telephone / CPU switch

Telephone / Computer Switches - not dependent on headset brand

ZoomSwtich ZMS10 USB ($70) - A great way to get a standard telephone wired or wireless headset to alternate between the handset and computer while providing USB connectivity. (Has standard RJ9 telephone handset connections.)

GN Netcom SeleCT Switch ($35) - Has RJ9 connections. Adapter cable is needed to connect to CPU.

Challenge: All these require the user to manually depress a button at the earpiece and/or at the switcher box. This can be problematic for people with upper extremity limitations.

Solutions

• Tap into tiny headset modules to provide an external switch option (e.g. SAJE Tech OfficeMate).
• Externally modify headset to provide a larger target and extra leverage to depress switch.
• Modify the switcher box with larger lever, or substitute built-in manual four-pole, double-throw switch with a micro switch-activated relay.

Challenge: Systems that include a handset lifter also lift the telephone off-hook when connected to the computer, meaning the user's phone is "busy" while using the computer.

Solutions: Provide a means to deactivate the phone lifter when the switch is directing signal to the computer along with an LED status indicator light using a supplemental switch and relay circuit. (On systems where an electronic hook switch feature is not available.)

A Method for Differentiating Homophonic
First Names when Using Speech
Recognition Technology

Copyright © Alan Cantor 2009. All rights reserved.

Alan Cantor
Cantor Access Inc.
alan -at- cantoraccess.com
416/406-5098

Despite the accuracy of speech recognition technology, homophonic* first names will always be subject to error. During free-form dictation, no amount of context or data will enable the software to reliably determine whether a user means "Katherine," "Kathryn," or "Catherine;" or "Bobby," "Bobbi," or "Bobbie."

* Homophones are words that are pronounced the same but spelled differently.

To address this difficulty, I experimented with a mnemonic (memory aid) to make homophonic names acoustically distinct. The pronunciation for each name consists of:

1. The name
2. "with" OR "without"
3. "a" OR "an" OR "one" OR "two"
4. A singular or plural letter of the alphabet, or its equivalent

Examples:

I have compiled a list of name-pronunciation pairs that can be imported as NaturallySpeaking custom words. The names require no training; the list is easily expanded and customized; and other mnemonics can be added or substituted. A basic name-pronunciation list is available from the author on request.

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