People with cerebral palsy (CP) face a wide-range of challenges, but with assistive technology, they can improve their ability to function and consequently, their daily lives.
An assistive technology device refers to any device used to help a people with CP perform different activities. The different devices allow them to participate in more activities, improve communication, enhance learning, and interact with others. They also improve mobility and hearing, making it easier to participate in daily routines.
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Self-sufficiency
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Quality of life
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Confidence
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Independence
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Improved educational outcomes
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Increased understanding
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Helps in facilitating expression
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It enhances communication hence giving support for the caregivers
Top 6 coolest Assistive Technology gadgets
1. Liftware
Liftware helps people with motion disabilities to stabilize and reduce spilling of contents when eating. Liftware acts as a self-stabilizing handle that’s attached to the eating utensils like spoon or fork, making the shaking reduced by 70%. Liftware makes the attached utensil to stay level when the hand moves, bends, and twists. It’s a smart device with a leveling handle that contains sensors that detect the changes of your hand’s intended movement in 3 dimensions. It’s an easy to use tool with two parts that include a utensil attachment and leveling handle. Connect the utensil attachment and turn it on automatically, start eating, and recharge it for use.
2. AV1 Robot
The AV1 acts as the voice and ears of your child when they miss school due to long-illness. This robot makes it possible to receive education being taught in class from home through an app on the user's tablet or phone. Additionally, it enables the child to stay connected with friends and also take part in different school activities at their own time and comfort.
The robot features a camera, microphone, and speaker, thus streaming audio in two-ways. AV-1 has both 4G connectivity and Wi-Fi, enabling it to connect anywhere, even in the field. It is fitted with two motors that can lower and raise its head and swivel 360 degrees, making it easy for the child to view everything happening in class.
3. Talkitt
The Talkitt app helps people with language and speech disorders to communicate effectively with others. It translates the impossible to understand pronunciation and spoken words into understandable speech making the caregivers and others around them able to understand and act. Talkitt works by learning the speech pattern of the users and how they use language. The device also creates a personal speech dictionary of the user identifying and recognizing the person’s unintelligible pronunciation and then translating them into understandable speech.
4. Sesame Phone
Mobile phones have become a standard tool for everyone. A sesame phone comes with unique features that allow people with CP to manage them well. It is a touch-free mobile phone using the hardware application by Nexus5. It works by the user making head movements when facing the inbuilt camera that tracks the type of actions done. The tracked movements get combined with the latest cutting-edge technology of computer vision algorithms that helps to create a cursor. The Cursor appears on the phone screen, and it is controlled by the movements and position of the users head. In addition, it also supports even the minimal head movements making it easy to operate the device features regardless of the user position. With a sesame phone, you can swipe, touch, and play games, download, browse, and many more options. Charmingly, the phone uses the phrase "Open Sesame" to start and track your movements. How cool is that?
5. MathTalk
MathTalk provides the user to voice all types of math from algebra, prealgebra, calculus, trig, voicing graphs, and statistics. The software offers physically challenged, professionals, teachers, and students enabling them to voice out math without having to use a keyboard. Additionally, it comes with an array of voice commands and its powered Dragon© NaturallySpeaking. The software enables the user to learn math’s language, have math accessibility without using a keyboard, increase interest to students who don’t love math and give the confidence to slow learners. Moreover, the user can print mathwork and learn to speak distinctly and clearly.
6. Jouse3
Jouse3 is a user-operated USB Mouse joystick operated through the plug- and –play solution. The precision joystick is easily moved using cheek, chin, tongue, or mouth to shift the cursor to any position. Moreover, the further the joystick moves, the faster the cursor travels enabling the user to perform activities like playing games and drawing. Operating the Jouse3 requires minimal action, and the cursor moves in an accurate, faster, and smooth way. Also, the user can perform left-click, right-click, and double click actions using the puff and sip switches inbuilt into the cursor.
Assistive technology has enabled people with CP to acquire a sense of security and independence by decreasing their dependence on others. These devices do get individually configured to suit each person's unique disability and give them the power to participate and control their lives. Learning more about CP (American Resource Page) enables you to understand the best assistive technology devices to make life smoother and more comfortable.
