Adaptive and Individualized AAC Phase II
Altec Inc.
Summary
The overall objective of this study is to develop an Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) system that is effective in delivering a person-centric communication device that will provide a versatile access method that can automatically learn and adapt to the user's physical abilities by creating a personalized, comprehensive keyboard interface for communication, not otherwise available to people in need of alternative communication.
Description
The investigators propose an AAC device comprising a versatile access method that automatically learns and customizes a keyboard interface to the residual motor function of the individual. The team comprising scientists, speech researchers and clinicians is developing a prototype AAC system comprising versatile access method and personalized, comprehensive communication software. This will be achieved by developing hardware to support streamlined access across multiple points on the body, designing automated algorithms to rapidly create an expanded AAC interface, inclusive of letters, numbers,…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 6+ years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- No
Inclusion Criteria: * Adults or Children; age greater than or equal to 6 y.o. * Male or female * Able to (a) spell, (b) follow 2-3 step directions, (c) read 40 point text * Have complex communication needs representing a broad spectrum of developmental and acquired severe motor impairments resulting from high spinal cord injury (SCI), chronic Guillain-Barre syndrome, brain stem stroke, cerebral palsy (CP), locked-in syndrome, among others. * Requires the use of an alternative access strategy to communicate and/or use technology that has been clinically prescribed and manually optimized follow…
Interventions
- DeviceExperimental AAC
Participant receives an AAC system comprising 2 wearable sensors for movement-mediated cursor control and muscle activity mediated cursor selection that is integrated with an adaptive and individualized keyboard to test communication performance.
- DeviceGeneric AAC
Participant receives an AAC system that is similar to that used to satisfy their normal daily communication needs such as an eye-tracking device with a generic AAC keyboard to test communication.
Location
- University of Nebraska Medical CenterOmaha, Nebraska