Workshops – The future – Technology

Prof M Johnson, University of Strathclyde

My name is Prof Johnson and I am a Professor of Control Engineering at Strathclyde University. I work with specialist projects at Strathclyde University. I have Usher Syndrome.

Today I will be talking about Assistive Technology, its current progress and looking to the future.

1. Assistive Technology for the Hearing Impaired.

There will be a new course offered at Strathclyde next year. People who have a hearing impairment suffer from varying degrees of hearing loss.

Up to 35dB - slight loss

35dB to 60dB - moderate loss

60dB to 90dB - severe loss

greater than 90dB - profound loss

A hearing impairment creates other difficulties. Age = Physical factors; Dexterity, Co-ordination

Degree of Loss Aids

Slight Loss Telephone Amplifier Induction Loops

Moderate Loss Text Phone

Severe Loss

Profoundly deaf Video Phone

Signed performances can be used for BSL users. Loop Systems can be used in a meeting, but require the person to have a hearing aid. Infra-Red Systems don’t require the use of a hearing aid and can therefore be accessible to all.

What is a T-Coil?

A T-Coil is used in a hearing aid. It is an electro magnetic transmission between two coils. There is one coil in a telephone and one is in a hearing aid.

Is it really that successful?

Well, it has to be adjusted – so people tend not to bother.

When moving around in an office using a T coil is not very effective.

2. Assistive Technology for the Visually Impaired.

What does it mean to be blind?

It is more complicated from a technical point of view.

Computer interfaces;

Screen magnifiers - Slight and Moderate

Screen readers - Severe and Extreme

Braille Input - Blind

Braille Output - Blind

Aids to Orientation and Navigation

Navigation - Long range journey and location

Orientation - Short-range object location (round room)

An example of navigation would be planning tactile maps on a Touch Tablet or journey using Electronic Orientation Aid (EOA). The problems would be that the current accuracy is 5-8 metres but new systems could be based on mobile phone communication technology.

The key to success in Speech to Braille Processors is the Speech Recognition and the Speech Synthesis. The Speech Recognition only has an average correct recognition of 85.6%. The Speech Synthesis can achieve intelligibility of 70-80%.

3. Assistive Technology for Dual Sensory Loss.

A lot of Assistive Technology would meet the needs of Hearing Impaired and Visually Impaired, but not dual impaired.

All groups need Assistive Technology to get to work. There are not many options for computer use for deafblind people. They could use Braille input/output devices. Also they could use a Hand tapper which uses Solenoids (small vibration) and gives 20 words per minute. However, there has been no advance in this invention because it is too expensive.

Orientation and Navigation – Jansson (2001) navigator too difficult for deafblind people. At CVHI (Conference and Workshop on Assistive Technologies for Vision and Hearing Impairment) 2001 a camera-tactile system could complete and pass the Slalom test (skiing). However, it was too heavy, as it had to be balanced on the person’s head.

Everyday devices can be designed exclusively for deafblind people. This includes a vibrating alarm clock designed by M. A. Hersh. It uses Braille and vibration touch.

The Web should be accessible to anybody with a sensory loss according to the World Wide Web Consortium. Students checked accessibility and found it was extremely low. For example, sound was not described in text and pictures were not described for the blind. They also looked at Search Engines and tested them for accessibility, none passed. There is a Bobby Test which means that if a site passes WWW guidelines then it has 100% access.

Education – Scottish Initiatives.

There is a course Module on Assistive Technology for Undergraduates at Strathclyde University and Glasgow University.

Springer Verlag London Book Series – books in easy terms about the technology behind certain pieces of equipment, eg. Loop (electro-magnetic field).

Institutions & Organisations

RESNA – Rehabilitation and Assistive Technology Society of North America.

AAATE – Association for the Advancement of Assistive Technology in Europe.

Speech Recognition to text – At the moment the voices are American so they would have to learn the Scottish Accent.