Development of the Communication Aids for the Severely Handicapped.

Research Project

Project/Area Number	61570717
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for General Scientific Research (C)
Allocation Type	Single-year Grants
Research Field	Orthopaedic surgery
Research Institution	Ehime University
Principal Investigator	SUTO Takashi Ehime University ・ Associate Professor, 医学部, 助教授 (20116940)
Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha)	KARIYAMA Kenji Ehime University ・ Assistant, 医学部, 助手 (70186039) 西本章愛媛大学, 医学部, 助手 (70180651) 松永強右徳島大学, 教育学部, 助教授 (30035323) 松本幸寛愛媛大学, 医学部, 助手 (70145093) 野島元雄愛媛大学, 医学部, 教授 (60035384)
Project Period (FY)	1986 – 1988
Project Status	Completed (Fiscal Year 1988)
Budget Amount *help	¥1,900,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,900,000) Fiscal Year 1988: ¥600,000 (Direct Cost: ¥600,000) Fiscal Year 1987: ¥700,000 (Direct Cost: ¥700,000) Fiscal Year 1986: ¥600,000 (Direct Cost: ¥600,000)
Keywords	Handicapped / Technical Aid / コミュニケーション / 重度障害者
Research Abstract	The ability of communication is very important to communicate their own aims for the third person. In the cases with disturbance of central motor nervous system e.g. cerebral palsy, communication disturbance develops due to dysarthria in addition to motor disturbance of the body and extremities. The disturbances occar in the aspects of their efucations and maintenance of human relationships, performance of rehabilitation program. In this stage, psycological and mental activities of the physical handicappeds can be restricted. In these circumstances, it is possible to maintain and elevate their mental activities by means of the development of the communication aids. The technical aids for communication we have developed are basic utility of Japanese word-processor. Our research for the development were made mainly to equip the input system in order to operate the aids with their minimal remaining functions. We have deceloped two input systems and the interface for the connection of handicappeds and main word-processor. The input system consisting of 2-steps switch are available to input with flexion and extension of one finger or movement of jaw. Another system is to input with rough movement of head or foot for 2 series combined signal from 8 or 12 switchs. The transcendency of the limitation of rehabilitation program by means of communication aids is possible and they could discover quality of their life.