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Sharpe, Michael Edward. "Assistive Technology Attrition: Identifying Why Teachers Abandon Assistive Technologies." NSUWorks, 2010. http://nsuworks.nova.edu/gscis_etd/301.
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The study surveyed a sample of K-12 teachers who had used assistive technology (AT) in the classroom to determine answers to five research questions. These were, (1) why the teachers adopted AT, (2) their attitudes and perceptions about its value, (3) challenges they have experienced in adopting AT, (4) whether they have discontinued or decreased use of AT, and, if so, (5) the factors that led to this result.
The study used both quantitative and qualitative methods. For the quantitative aspect, an online survey instrument was developed to answer five research questions. Participants were teachers who had used AT in the classroom and came from 19 Georgia school districts whose superintendents granted permission for them to participate and whose assistant technology coordinators agreed to inform teachers in their districts' schools of the study. A total of 174 teachers completed the online survey. Of these, 52 agreed to be interviewed by telephone by the researcher, and 10 of those were randomly selected to be interviewed. Telephone interviews were audio recorded with the interviewee's permission, then transcribed by the researcher.
Analysis of quantitative results included factor analysis of replies to Likert-scaled items, compilation of frequency of responses, and determination of means for Likert items. For interview responses, qualitative methods were used to determine any themes in participants' replies.
It was found that (1) the most prevalent reason teachers initially used AT is that they perceived that the technology has value for their students, (2) the teachers had a mostly positive attitude toward the value of AT, (3) most of the teachers reported needing more training in AT, (4) almost half felt that time constraints affected their use of AT, (5) about one-third of online responders and 9 of 10 interviewees agreed that technical problems affected their use of AT, and (6) less than half of online participants perceived that they had adequate AT support. It was also found that most of the teachers had neither decreased nor discontinued use of AT during the 2008-2009 school year. Reasons cited by those who had decreased or discontinued use included time constraints, technical problems, lack of training, and lack of support.
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Nilsson, Filip, and Yong-Soo Lee. "Assistive Technology Within Elderly Care : A study of professional’s attitudes towards using Assistive technology." Thesis, Linnéuniversitetet, Institutionen för informatik (IK), 2020. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:lnu:diva-98171.
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Assistive technology is an important field that has gained a lot of attention and has developed rapidly in recent years. This thesis identified what kind of assistive technologies are currently used within elderly care and further examined the professionals’ attitude towards the assistive technology. A qualitative study with semi-structured interviews was conducted with a total of four professionals and the empirical findings were analyzed with the use of Technology Acceptance Model. The empirical findings showed that professionals have generally positive attitudes towards the assistive technology, however, the study showed that different types or versions of the same assistive technology affected the perception of using it. Additionally, the study examined the barriers and opportunities of using the technologies. There were concerns identified and potential improvements that could be made; however, the overall benefits outweigh the disadvantages.
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O'Neill, Peter R. "Enhancing electronic assistive technology prescription." Thesis, Sheffield Hallam University, 2006. http://shura.shu.ac.uk/20147/.
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With the inherent functional flexibility of the computer it seemed inevitable that these machines would be put to use in assisting individuals with less functional ability such as the severely physically disabled. These functions would include Speaking, Writing, Controlling their surroundings and moving within those environments. The software applications which provide these functions have collectively become known as Integrated Electronic Assistive Technology (IEAT). This research investigation focused on the prescription of an IEAT prescribed for a particular individual using the Barnsley Wheelchair Interface (BWI) to enable the individual's function of mobility. The BWI controlled an electric wheelchair via a single switch pressed by the user, using her head and was prescribed using the "Multi-Disciplinary Service Model" process created and described by Hawley (1995).The subsequent enhancement of this prescription, from the model-based analysis of the automatically generated usage data logs, that were introduced by the PhD Research student and are one of the novel features of this work. The chosen method, using the analysis of data logs came about as a result of the PhD Research student's own severe physical disability rendering conventional techniques difficult and in some cases impossible. It is the model-based analysis processes that have been developed during this research and which inform the Assistive Technology Professional (ATP) with general information on the prescription, along with comprehensive information on 'Whole System Information', 'Functional Level Information' and 'Interface Level Information', which in all instances had previously been unavailable from assistive technology stakeholders. It is speculated that with the use of these analysis processes (tools) in addition to a software application called "Switch Environment Assessment Tool" (SEAT), in conjunction with the iterative process within the service model, the prescription should be enhanced, resulting in an increase in the user's quality of life.
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Marks, Lori J. "Has Assistive Technology Been Considered?" Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2003. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/3693.
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Nelson, Bonnie E. "One child's use of assistive technology." Diss., Virginia Tech, 1992. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/37322.
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This is a qualitative study of one student’s use of assistive technology in the public school system from preschool to fourth grade. The data collected for this case study include interviews, participant observation, field and diary notes, video tapes, and other documents including school records and a teacher memoir. Throughout the study, the goals were to stay open to and reflect emerging patterns rather than to fit data into previously determined categories. The report describes how Michael--with cerebral palsy that affects his speech and prevents his standing or holding a pencil--used computers, augmentative communication devices, and other electronic technology. On one level the report becomes the story of a student who moves from a separate special education facility into an elementary school where he is integrated fulltime into a fourth grade class. Discussion and conclusions explore (1) types of support he required, (2) barriers to technology use as well as problems of "abandonment" of technology acquired, (3) the effect of integration into general education on his use of technology, and (4) how providing assistive technology influences and changes teachers’ roles.<br>Ed. D.
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Nelson, Bonnie. "One child's use of assistive technology /." This resource online, 1992. http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-02052007-081240/.
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Marks, Lori J., and M. L. McMurray. "Accessing Children’s Literature Using Assistive Technology." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2003. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/3549.
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Marks, Lori J. "Addressing Math skills Through Assistive Technology." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2000. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/3706.
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Marks, Lori J. "Supporting Written Expression with Assistive Technology." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2002. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/3698.
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McKinney, Shaune LaSheane. "Implementing Assistive Technology through Program Planning." ScholarWorks, 2015. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/1448.
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Special education (SPED) service providers in the military are often underprepared to use the needed assistive technology (AT) in the classroom. This concurrent mixed-method study sought to explore the attitudes, skills, and quality indicators of assistive technology (QIAT) among 19 currently employed military SPED certified multidisciplinary team members. The conceptual framework of this study was based on the professional learning community model, which holds that the team members work collaboratively to educate the families it serves. All team members completed a quantitative QIAT survey and open-ended questionnaire, and individual qualitative interviews were conducted with a subsample of 8 volunteer staff. QIAT survey data were descriptively analyzed, while questionnaire data were transcribed, open coded, and thematically analyzed. All data were triangulated and member checking and peer debriefing were used to strengthen validity and credibility of the findings. Survey data revealed teachers' willingness to utilize AT in the classroom, although qualitative data suggested that the multidisciplinary team lacked the knowledge to consistently and confidently utilize AT within their classes daily. Additional emergent themes included collaboration, viable resources, unifying guidelines, AT support, training, and guidance. Administrators at the local site can use these findings as guidance in the development of in-service and district AT trainings and support. Through consistent usage of these interventions, the military community can impact positive change in the lived experiences of SPED service providers and the families that it serves.
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NEWTON, DEBORAH A. "THE IMPACT OF A LOCAL ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY TEAM ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY IN A SCHOOL SETTING." University of Cincinnati / OhioLINK, 2002. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1020706553.
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Stanley, Dannie M. "Context-sensitive, adaptable, assistive services and technology." Virtual Press, 2008. http://liblink.bsu.edu/uhtbin/catkey/1399193.
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Our research posits a context-sensitive, adaptable, assistive services and technology system (CAAST) that takes advantage of the advancements in mobile computing to provide barrier-free access to environmental information and devices. To inform our research we explore the following topics: the deficiencies associated with current assistive technologies; the advances in wireless sensor node technology; the interference and accuracy problems associated with wireless location detection; the coordination problems associated with service discovery; the management and coordination problems associated with decentralized sensor nodes; the separation of information and activities from the human interface; the efficiency and abstraction problems associated with interface description languages; and the adaptation of information and activities to meet the needs of those with disabilities. As a result of our research into these areas we devise an assistive technology, CAAST, that intends to be a comprehensive approach to universal access to information and activities for those with disabilities.<br>Department of Computer Science
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Green, Erica (Erica L. ). "Exploring assistive technology solutions and universal design." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/112582.
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Thesis: S.B., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Mechanical Engineering, 2017.<br>Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.<br>Includes bibliographical references (page 21).<br>Creating devices that take those with limited physical abilities into account can make everyday tasks easier for everyone to perform. During this project, a user with restricted fine finger dexterity was considered in the design of a product that assists people with opening sealed packages. The primary user was first interviewed about his needs and limitations. After initial research was performed, the team ideated and completed basic sketches of products concepts. The user was again consulted for impressions and feedback about the variety of ideas, and the team continued by focusing on one broad concept and fleshing out the details. Once several different mock-ups of the chosen concept were made, they were presented to the user. His feedback then informed the design of a second round of prototypes. User testing will be completed before settling on a final design. The final product will be presented at the Design for America Spring Critique on May 18th, 2017.<br>by Erica Green.<br>S.B.
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Norouzi, Kandalan Roya. "Assistive Navigation Technology for Visually Impaired Individuals." Thesis, University of North Texas, 2020. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1707284/.
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Sight is essential in our daily tasks. Compensatory senses have been used for centuries by visually impaired individuals to navigate independently. The help of technology can minimize some challenges for visually impaired individuals. Assistive navigation technologies facilitate the pathfinding and tracing in indoor scenarios. Different modules are added to assistive navigation technologies to warn about the obstacles not only on the ground but about hanging objects. In this work, we attempt to explore new methods to assist visually impaired individuals in navigating independently in an indoor scenario. We employed a location estimation algorithm based on the fingerprinting method to estimate the initial location of the user. We mitigate the error of estimation with particle filter. The shortest path has been calculated with an A* algorithm. To provide the user with an accident-free experiment, we employed an obstacle avoidance algorithm capable of warning the users about the potential hazards. Finally, to provide an effective means of communication with the user, we employed text-to-speech and speech recognition algorithms. The main contribution of this work is to glue these modules together efficiently and affordably.
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Lehrman, Eliana Rose. "Introductory Guide to Assistive Technology for Educators." Kent State University Honors College / OhioLINK, 2017. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ksuhonors1479558587743816.
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Dewsbury, Guy Alexander. "Person-centred design of assistive technology systems." Thesis, Lancaster University, 2009. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.538595.
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Marks, Lori J., and V. Morin. "Assistive Technology for Students with Mild Disabilities." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 1996. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/3529.
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Marks, Lori J., M. L. McMurray, C. Hales, and M. K. Young. "An Analysis of Assistive Technology Team Evaluations." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2005. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/3544.
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Marks, Lori J., and D. J. Montgomery. "Assistive Technology for Students with Mild Disabilities." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 1996. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/3569.
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Marks, Lori J. "Supporting Independent Living Skills with Assistive Technology." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2002. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/3699.
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McCarthy, Amanda K. "Assistive technology knowledge and usage among vocational evaluators." Menomonie, WI : University of Wisconsin--Stout, 2007. http://www.uwstout.edu/lib/thesis/2007/2007mccarthya.pdf.
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Chen, Chien-Bang. "An approach to empathic design for assistive technology." Thesis, De Montfort University, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/2086/9027.
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The levels of income and employment rates of people with disabilities are often lower than those without them. An effective way to free disabled people from these circumstances would be to design proper job accommodation for them. Ordinarily, physical conditions severely restrict their ability to carry out their work efficiently unless they have are provided with appropriately designed assistive technology (AT). However, due to the physical conditions unique to each disabled person, understanding the requirements of a disabled person is often a challenge to an AT designer. The aims of this research were to develop a design model for an empathy tool that would assist in the process of designing AT for job accommodation, and to explore the relationship between the use of empathy tools and the improvement of design elements in job accommodation AT. The design models employed were developed by analysing interviews with AT users and examining the results of observations and a literature review. The model was then used to build an empathy tool to be used in designing job accommodation AT for a selected subject; the empathy tools were used in a series of assessments of designer users. The results show that, when compared with tools used in traditional design briefs, empathy tools can successfully help designers to improve design elements in terms, respectively, of their understanding of users' physical abilities (22 per cent), work requirements (26.6 per cent), ergonomic requirements (22.8 per cent), and environment characteristics (21.4 per cent). Meanwhile, it is difficult for the tool to improve upon other design elements, about which one must learn by gaining design experience.
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Marks, Lori J., and M. L. McMurray. "Using Assistive Technology in the General Education Classroom." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2003. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/3548.
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Marks, Lori J., and D. J. Montgomery. "Infusing Assistive Technology Interventions into the Writing Process." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2003. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/3550.
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Bamforth, Sarah E. "Supporting customer focused design in the assistive technology industry." Thesis, Loughborough University, 2003. https://dspace.lboro.ac.uk/2134/7601.
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Assistive technologies (AT) are the products provided to elderly and disabled people to enable them to live more independently. Despite their ability to help maintain independence and prevent injury, the literature discussed within this thesis indicates that assistive technologies are not meeting the needs of the end-user. In response, research has been undertaken with the following objectives: 1. To identify how and why assistive technology products are failing to satisfy the customer. 2. To establish if a design tool can be created that overcomes the issues identified in the inductive research and which enables companies to design customer-satisfying assistive technology products. In progressing these objectives, two phases of research were planned. The first comprised four parallel studies (focus groups, case studies, questionnaires and a literature study), which together examined the state of AT products and the product-development activities of AT manufacturers. The second phase of research examined four customer-focused product design methods for their suitability for utilisation by small companies within the AT sector. On finding that no method in its entirety was suitable, a customer-focused design tool for small AT companies was developed. The resulting tool comprises eight elements for application in the initial stages of the product development process. The tool was tested in four separate studies, which examined its usability and acceptability to AT companies and which gave further insights into the AT sector. The research both finds that AT products are failing the customer in five areas and that manufacturers are contributing to this failure through a lack of customer-focus in their design processes. In addition to identifying the market research and product development activities of small AT companies, a key contribution to knowledge resulting from the research is the concept of sectoral readiness for methods of design. In its conclusion the thesis finds that the two research objectives have been met.
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Boyless, James Andrus. "Assistive technology in Arizona: A survey of service providers." Diss., The University of Arizona, 1993. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/186544.
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Research evidence indicates that assistive technology services and devices, mandated by law, are not being provided to individuals with disabilities in Arizona. This study described the professionals within Arizona providing AT services and devices, their training needs, and the current AT service delivery system. The study also proposed essential elements for an AT service delivery network to meet the technological needs of individuals with disabilities within the State of Arizona. A survey, developed with assistance from experts, was mailed to 1,014 service providers in six distinct service specialties. Professionals in the Arizona Department of Education, Division of Developmental Disabilities, Rehabilitation Services Administration, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, and Speech Pathology were asked to furnish information pertaining to four research questions: (1) Who are the AT service providers? (2) What is the current AT service delivery system in Arizona? (3) What are the perceived AT training needs of service providers? (4) What do service providers perceive as essential components in a comprehensive AT service delivery network? The survey results indicated that AT services in Arizona were provided by predominantly Anglo, highly educated females living in the two largest metropolitan counties in Arizona. Less than half had received any training in AT. No AT service delivery system exists today in Arizona. Services were provided by chance rather than as a normal procedure in medical or human service organizations. Perceived training needs paralleled provider specialty with training through workshops at the local level. According to survey respondents essential components of an AT service delivery network should include information, training, funding, collaboration, consumer involvement, and delivery models. Implications of the study suggest that Arizona must implement the following changes: (1) establish a statewide AT service delivery network linking providers, consumers, and caregivers; (2) select a lead agency to coordinate all efforts in AT for the State; (3) appoint a strong advocate of AT as head of the agency; (4) develop a training program; (5) recruit minorities and persons from technical areas to provide services; (6) reduce the gap in the delivery of AT services to those under 60 years; and (7) increase the number of qualified AT providers for the growing population of the elderly, the adult, and children in all independent living, educational, and work environments.
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Marks, Lori J. "Evaluating Students with Mild Disabilities for Assistive Technology Needs." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 1996. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/3726.
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DeLee, Brenda. "Assistive Technology Guidelines for Higher Education Disability Support Staff." Diss., NSUWorks, 2018. https://nsuworks.nova.edu/gscis_etd/1067.
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With the changing laws and effective integration of assistive technology into the classroom environment, students can have the provision of multiple means to complete their work with greater independence. In post secondary education, any student who discloses a sensory, cognitive, or physical disability is eligible to request and receive assistive technology and other services. When used correctly, assistive technology can help students with reading, writing, math, and communication skills. With a possible influx of students, disability support staff must be prepared and willing to meet the needs and address issues relating to students with disabilities. If their needs are not met, this student population may be left to face accessibility challenges that will hinder their academic success.
The goal was to make the college experience positive for all students by producing a resource guide for Disability Support Staff (DSS). This was accomplished by conducting an extensive literature review along with collecting data from DSS professionals from various community colleges within North Carolina. Analysis of the data resulted in recommendations on topics including, specific assistive technology solutions according to disability, training for students and faculty along with various outreach activities that can be used to increase awareness of services and accommodations provided by DSS.
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De, Jonge Desleigh. "Putting technology to work : experiences of people using assistive technology in the workplace /." St. Lucia, Qld, 2001. http://www.library.uq.edu.au/pdfserve.php?image=thesisabs/absthe16744.pdf.
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Hyry, J. (Jaakko). "Designing projected user interfaces as assistive technology for the elderly." Doctoral thesis, Oulun yliopisto, 2015. http://urn.fi/urn:isbn:9789526210704.
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Abstract Old age brings several physical and cognitive challenges for elderly people, which complicates the utilization of modern information and communication technology (ICT) for daily task assistance and for caretakers and family support. One factor hindering the adoption of ICT is that most existing user interfaces (UIs) require prior knowledge of use metaphors that many elderly people cannot learn to master. Research on developing assistive technology exists, such as phones for the elderly, but these often have UIs that require prior knowledge and use experience. Recent research has introduced Ambient Assisted Living (AAL) concepts for users’ homes, for example projecting guidance into the environment. However, only a few empirical studies have attempted to define the type of projection-based UIs that would be intuitive for the elderly, and the system design processes that would help in developing such AAL have not been researched thoroughly. This work presents three design iterations and their empirical evaluations. From these, a body of knowledge was produced for designing and developing AALs with projected Augmented Reality (AR) UIs. The first iteration had a sentence-building UI implemented for a wearable Projector-Camera (ProCam) system, which had limits in technical suitability for the elderly. The second iteration changed the use metaphor to a simple icon-based menu, and produced a requirement guideline for UIs in AAL. In the final iteration, the wearable was replaced with a fixed ProCam, allowing the elderly to make menu selections effectively. This iteration supported sequential tasks, such as taking medicine, with visual guides. The suitability of the new UI was tested with computer literate young adults and elderly users, many of the latter having memory and motor skill limitations. The comparison showed that the two groups performed similarly; however, the elderly needed a slower and more direct interaction technique adapted to their preferences in the UI. Assistance for the sequential tasks was found feasible. This work produced a set of UI-related and technical factors that AAL designers should take into account when developing projector-based AR systems for the elderly with memory problems. In addition, this work offers suggestions on how to conduct UI testing sessions with this user group to reduce the amount of work and improve the success of the iterative development process<br>Tiivistelmä Ikääntyminen tuo useita fyysisiä ja kognitiivisia haasteita teknologian käytölle mikä puolestaan mutkistaa modernin informaatioteknologian käyttöä hoivatyöntekijöiden ja omaisten tukemana päivittäisten askareiden tukemisessa. Yksi este käytölle on käyttöliittyminen hallitsemiseen tarvittava osaaminen mitä vanhuksilla on haastavaa oppia. Avustavan teknologian tutkimusta on olemassa laitteille kuten vanhusten käyttöön suunnitellut matkapuhelimet jotka tarvitsevat tietämystä ja aiempia käyttökokemuksia. Uusimmat tutkimukset esittävät tietotekniikka-avusteisen asuminen mahdollisuuksia käyttäjien koteihin esimerkiksi projisoitujen opastuksien muodossa, mutta vain muutamia empiirisiä tutkimuksia on tehty määrittelemään kuinka projektiopohjaiset käyttöliittymät voisivat olla intuitiivisia vanhuksille, ja tutkimuksia kuinka näiden systeemien suunnitteluprosessit voisivat avustaa tietotekniikka-avusteisen asumisen suunnittelijoille ei ole tuotettu tarpeeksi. Tämä työ esittelee kolmen iteroinnin ja empiirisen arvioinnin luoman tietämysperustan kautta ratkaisuja systeemien suunnittelun ja luonnin tarpeisiin projektiopohjaisen lisätyn todellisuuden käyttöliittymien luomiseksi. Ensimmäisen iteroinnin tulos on lauserakenteeseen pohjautuva käyttöliittymä päälle puettavalle projektiojärjestelmälle, jonka todettiin omaavan teknisiä puutteita vanhuskäyttöön. Toinen iterointi esittelee ikonipohjaisen käyttöliittymän ja tuottaa vaatimusmäärittelyohjeistuksia käyttöliittymille. Viimeisessä iteroinnissa korvataan päälle puettava kiinteästi asennetulla järjestelmällä, joka mahdollistaa vanhuksille tehokkaamman valintamenetelmän valikoille, sekä tukee sarjamuotoisten tehtävien suorittamista visuaalisia ohjeistuksia käyttäen esimerkiksi lääkkeen annostelun tukemisessa. Käytön soveltuvuutta vertailtiin tehokäyttäjien ja vanhusten, joilla on usein motoriikan ja kognition ongelmia, kesken, ja vaikka nämä kaksi ryhmää ovat hyvin samankaltaisia on vanhuksille sopivampi menetelmä hitaampi ja perustuu suoraan interaktioon. Myös sarjamuotoisen tehtävän suorituksen tukeminen osoittautui saavutettavaksi. Tämä työ tuotti käyttöliittymien ja teknisten toteutusten suunnitteluun tarkoitettuja ohjeistuksia joita tietotekniikka-avusteisen asumisen suunnittelijoiden tulisi ottaa huomioon projektiopohjaisten lisätyn todellisuuden järjestelmien kehittämisessä muistihäiriöisten vanhusten tarpeisiin. Lisäksi suosituksia käyttäjätestien luomiseen tämän käyttäjäryhmän kesken ehdotetaan jolla voidaan vähentää työmäärää sekä parantaa oikein iteratiivista prosessia
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Courtney, Karen Lynne. "Privacy and senior adoption of assistive technology in residential care." Diss., Columbia, Mo. : University of Missouri-Columbia, 2006. http://hdl.handle.net/10355/4399.
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Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2006.<br>The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file. Vita. "May 2006" Includes bibliographical references.
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Hayden, David S. (David Scott). "Wearable-assisted social interaction as assistive technology for the blind." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/91089.
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Thesis: S.M. in Computer Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, 2014.<br>41<br>Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.<br>Includes bibliographical references (pages 73-76).<br>This work presents an end-to-end wearable system designed to learn and assist its (potentially blind) wearers with daily social interactions. In particular, it visually identifies nearby acquaintances and provides timely, discreet notifications of their presence to the wearer. Offline, the system learns the people with whom the wearer interacts by automatically detecting social interactions through egocentric audio, video and accelerometer data and querying the wearer for the identities of persons unknown to the system.<br>by David S. Hayden.<br>S.M. in Computer Science and Engineering
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Nilsson, Mats. "A Helping Hand : On Innovations for Rehabilitation and Assistive Technology." Doctoral thesis, KTH, Neuronik (Stängd 20130701), 2013. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-120142.
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This thesis focuses on assistive and rehabilitation technology for restoring the function of the hand. It presents three different approaches to assistive technology: one in the form of an orthosis, one in the form of a brain-computer interface combined with functional electrical stimulation and finally one totally aiming at rehabilitating the nervous system by restoring brain function using the concept of neuroplasticity. The thesis also includes an epidemiological study based on statistics from the Swedish Hospital Discharge Register and a review on different methods for assessment of hand function. A novel invention of an orthosis in form of a light weight glove, the SEM (Soft Extra Muscle) glove, is introduced and described in detail. The SEM glove is constructed for improving the grasping capability of a human independently of the particular task being performed. A key feature is that a controlling and strengthening effect is achieved without the need for an external mechanical structure in the form of an exoskeleton. The glove is activated by input from tactile sensors in its fingertips and palm. The sensors react when the applied force is larger than 0.2 N and feed a microcontroller of DC motors. These pull lines, which are attached to the fingers of the glove and thus work as artificial tendons. A clinical study on the feasibility of the SEM glove to improve hand function on a group of patients with varying degree of disability has been made. Assessments included passive and active range of finger motion, flexor muscle strength according to the Medical Research Council (MRC) 0-5 scale, grip strength using the Grippit hand dynamometer, fine motor skills according to the Nine Hole Peg test and hand function in common activities by use of the Sollerman test. Participants rated the potential benefit on a Visual Analogue Scale. A prototype for a system for combining BCI (Brain-Computer Interface) and FES (Functional Electrical Stimulation) is described. The system is intended to be used during the first period of recovery from a TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury) or stroke that have led to paresis in the hand, before deciding on a permanent system, thus allowing the patients to get a quick start on the motor relearning. The system contains EEG recording electrodes, a control unit and a power unit. Initially the patients will practice controlling the movement of a robotic hand and then move on to controlling pulses being sent to stimulus electrodes placed on the paretic muscle. An innovative electrophysiological device for rehabilitation of brain lesions is presented, consisting of a portable headset with electrodes on both sides adapted on the localization of treatment area. The purpose is to receive the outgoing signal from the healthy side of the brain and transfer that signal to the injured and surrounding area of the remote side, thereby having the potential to facilitate the reactivation of the injured brain tissue. The device consists of a control unit as well as a power unit to activate the circuit electronics for amplifying, filtering, AD-converting, multiplexing and switching the outgoing electric signals to the most optimal ingoing signal for treatment of the injured and surrounding area.<br><p>QC 20130403</p>
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Ridley, Julianne. "The distribution of assistive technology services among intensive evaluation clients." Online version, 1998. http://www.uwstout.edu/lib/thesis/1998/1998ridleyj.pdf.
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Marks, Lori J., K. Puckett, and M. L. McMurray. "Establishing Assistive Technology Service Centers for Small Rural School Districts." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2000. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/3555.
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Marks, Lori J. "Assistive Technology Interventions for Students with Autism Series: Boardmaker Software." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2003. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/3692.
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Marks, Lori J., and Barbara McElyea. "Assistive Technology, Tools, and Strategies for the Itinerant Vision Teacher." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2001. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/3703.
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Marks, Lori J. "Assistive Technology Interventions for Early Childhood Home and School Environments." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2008. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/3683.
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Forbes, David Edward. "A framework for assistive communications technology in cross-cultural healthcare." Thesis, Curtin University, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/2453.
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Rural and remote Australian Aboriginal communities suffer seriously adverse life expectancy rates, lifestyle disease complications and hospital treatment needs due to type 2 diabetes. In great part this is due to communications barriers arising from the lack of equitable acculturation within patient-practitioner consultations. This research presents a framework foundation for a computerised patient-practitioner lingua franca. Behavioural and design science ontology development delivers an intercultural patient-practitioner type 2 diabetes assistive communications system, known as P-PAC.
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Yachnin, David. "Technology-Assisted Toilets: An Assistive Technology for Improving Hygiene and Independence in the Bathroom." Thesis, Université d'Ottawa / University of Ottawa, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/10393/36569.
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Purpose: Toileting is an activity of daily living that is often difficult to perform independently for rehabilitation patients, which can be detrimental to the patient’s self-esteem and hygiene. Technology-Assisted Toilets (TATs) are commercially-available toilet seats which clean the user with a stream of water, and have a fan for drying. TATs are operated by a wall-mounted remote control. This thesis investigated whether TATs could improve stroke and geriatric rehabilitation patients’ ability to clean themselves independently after a bowel movement, and improve psychosocial outcomes when toileting.
Methods: Stroke rehabilitation participants answered the Psychosocial Impact of Assistive Devices Scales (PIADS) to assess the psychosocial impact of their regular toileting, then used the TAT for a bowel movement on three occasions. In geriatric rehabilitation, participants completed two bowel movement trials; one using regular toileting and one using the TAT. In both studies, participants answered the PIADS and were visually assessed for cleanliness after each trial.
Results: Stroke rehabilitation patients had significantly higher PIADS when using the TAT. TATs cleaned participants completely in 73% of BM trials. In geriatric rehabilitation, participants gave TATs higher PIADS scores than regular toileting, but the difference was not statistically significant. Cleanliness level was equal between TAT and regular toileting.
Conclusions: These pilot studies show that TATs have the potential to be useful assistive devices for stroke and geriatric rehabilitation patients who have difficulty cleaning themselves independently in the bathroom. PIADS scores in both studies suggest that participants would be unlikely to abandon using TATs.
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Goddard, Lawrence Wayne Fitzgerald Gail E. "Assistive technology selection in technology-rich and technology-limited schools an exploratory study of IEP decision making /." Diss., Columbia, Mo. : University of Missouri--Columbia, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/10355/6695.
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Title from PDF of title page (University of Missouri--Columbia, viewed on Feb 25, 2010). The entire thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file; a non-technical public abstract appears in the public.pdf file. Dissertation advisor: Dr. Gail Fitzgerald. Vita. Includes bibliographical references.
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Souza, Hamilton Luiz de. "GRAFCET como ferramenta no desenvolvimento de tecnologia assistiva." Universidade de São Paulo, 2004. http://www.teses.usp.br/teses/disponiveis/18/18133/tde-26022016-145934/.
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A escassez de equipamentos e soluções à disposição das pessoas portadoras de necessidades especiais é evidente e, na maioria dos casos, não está entre as prioridades primárias dos governos, tanto nos países desenvolvidos como, e principalmente, nos subdesenvolvidos. O desenvolvimento de dispositivos a preços acessíveis é, desta forma, uma carência real. O alto custo de fabricação de dispositivos assistivos é oriundo da necessidade de se construí-los de forma personalizada o que geralmente utiliza o estado da arte de determinada tecnologia. Aglutinando então, tecnologias já difundidas com novas abordagens e ferramentas, foi implementado um dispositivo assistivo com um índice de \"personalização\" extremamente baixo e com custo acessível. O método GRAFCET como ferramenta de desenvolvimento, aliado a tecnologia FPGA, nas fases de prototipação e produção, mostram-se eficazes e de fácil aplicabilidade. Para essa finalidade foi desenvolvida uma ferramenta de conversão GRAFCET - Circuito Digital que facilita e torna possível não só na elaboração do esquema GRAFCET, mas principalmente possibilita antever semelhança com outras aplicações que não são facilmente visualizadas num primeiro momento, permitindo a sua simplificação. O dispositivo concebido, mostrou que, com pequenas modificações, é possível desenvolvê-los de forma que atenda não apenas um, mas vários portadores de necessidades especiais, viabilizando assim a diminuição dos custos de projeto, desenvolvimento e construção dos equipamentos que venham a atender estas pessoas, permitindo assim melhora significativa em sua qualidade de vida.<br>In all countries, particularly in underdeveloped ones, there are few equipment and solutions available to people with physical disabilities, whose needs hardly rank among the government\'s top priorities. Therefore, there is a real need to develop low cost equipment to people with disabilities. The high cost of production of assistive devices results from the necessity of building them in a customized way, generally employing some state-of-the-art technology. This work proposes using well known technologies as tools, in such a way to allow the design of assistive devices with a low degree of customization and, consequently, at low cost. Using GRAFCET as a development tool and FPGA technology have shown to be an effective and easily applicable approach during the phases of prototyping and production. We developed a tool that converts GRAFCET designs into a digital circuit. The tool makes it easier to develop GRAFCET schemes and highlights the similarities among different applications, which otherwise could pass unnoticed, resulting in simplified designs. With small modifications, the proposed device can meet the needs of several people with disabilities, resulting in lower design, development and building costs of equipment that can significantly improve their quality of life.
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Remmers, Alexis. "Enhancing Functionality with Assistive Error Visualisations in Encore." Thesis, Uppsala universitet, Institutionen för informationsteknologi, 2019. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-397109.
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Compiler errors are an inevitable part of software development in compiled languages. Many compilers use very specific phrasing, which can be hard to understand by beginners, or programmers unfamiliar with constructs or concepts that are specific to a language. This is no less true for experimental research languages such as Encore, the language improved in this thesis. Encore introduces type system features seldom used in the mainstream. Modern compilers output messages with a wide target audience, typically both human readers as well as tools that parse error messages and show them inline e.g., as part of an IDE tool chain. Balancing human readability and precision is a difficult tightrope walk. This thesis reports on the design and implementation of an error handler for Encore for the displaying of error messages in a way that specifically targets human readers through systematic use of whitespace and color coding. The new handler also enables the compiler to provide further information, such as suggesting a probable problem fix. As a direct result of this work, the error messages in the Encore compiler have been improved considerably, and there is a clear path for integration of future error messages.
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Ali, Mazin. "360? View Camera Based Visual Assistive Technology for Contextual Scene Information." Thesis, Rochester Institute of Technology, 2017. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=10621991.
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<p> In this research project, a system is proposed to aid the visually impaired by providing partial contextual information of the surroundings using 360° view camera combined with deep learning is proposed. The system uses a 360° view camera with a mobile device to capture surrounding scene information and provide contextual information to the user in the form of audio. The system could also be used for other applications such as logo detection which visually impaired users can use for shopping assistance. </p><p> The scene information from the spherical camera feed is classified by identifying objects that contain contextual information of the scene. That is achieved using convolutional neural networks (CNN) for classification by leveraging CNN transfer learning properties using the pre-trained VGG-19 network. There are two challenges related to this paper, a classification and a segmentation challenge. As an initial prototype, we have experimented with general classes such restaurants, coffee shops and street signs. We have achieved a 92.8% classification accuracy in this research project.</p><p>
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Jamieson, Matthew. "Investigating assistive technology to support memory for people with cognitive impairments." Thesis, University of Glasgow, 2016. http://theses.gla.ac.uk/7634/.
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Technologies such as automobiles or mobile phones allow us to perform beyond our physical capabilities and travel faster or communicate over long distances. Technologies such as computers and calculators can also help us perform beyond our mental capabilities by storing and manipulating information that we would be unable to process or remember. In recent years there has been a growing interest in assistive technology for cognition (ATC) which can help people compensate for cognitive impairments. The aim of this thesis was to investigate ATC for memory to help people with memory difficulties which impacts independent functioning during everyday life. Chapter one argues that using both neuropsychological and human computing interaction theory and approaches is crucial when developing and researching ATC. Chapter two describes a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies which tested technology to aid memory for groups with ABI, stroke or degenerative disease. Good evidence was found supporting the efficacy of prompting devices which remind the user about a future intention at a set time. Chapter three looks at the prevalence of technologies and memory aids in current use by people with ABI and dementia and the factors that predicted this use. Pre-morbid use of technology, current use of non-tech aids and strategies and age (ABI group only) were the best predictors of this use. Based on the results, chapter four focuses on mobile phone based reminders for people with ABI. Focus groups were held with people with memory impairments after ABI and ABI caregivers (N=12) which discussed the barriers to uptake of mobile phone based reminding. Thematic analysis revealed six key themes that impact uptake of reminder apps; Perceived Need, Social Acceptability, Experience/Expectation, Desired Content and Functions, Cognitive Accessibility and Sensory/Motor Accessibility. The Perceived need theme described the difficulties with insight, motivation and memory which can prevent people from initially setting reminders on a smartphone. Chapter five investigates the efficacy and acceptability of unsolicited prompts (UPs) from a smartphone app (ForgetMeNot) to encourage people with ABI to set reminders. A single-case experimental design study evaluated use of the app over four weeks by three people with severe ABI living in a post-acute rehabilitation hospital. When six UPs were presented through the day from ForgetMeNot, daily reminder-setting and daily memory task completion increased compared to when using the app without the UPs. Chapter six investigates another barrier from chapter 4 – cognitive and sensory accessibility. A study is reported which shows that an app with ‘decision tree’ interface design (ApplTree) leads to more accurate reminder setting performance with no compromise of speed or independence (amount of guidance required) for people with ABI (n=14) compared to a calendar based interface. Chapter seven investigates the efficacy of a wearable reminding device (smartwatch) as a tool for delivering reminders set on a smartphone. Four community dwelling participants with memory difficulties following ABI were included in an ABA single case experimental design study. Three of the participants successfully used the smartwatch throughout the intervention weeks and these participants gave positive usability ratings. Two participants showed improved memory performance when using the smartwatch and all participants had marked decline in memory performance when the technology was removed. Chapter eight is a discussion which highlights the implications of these results for clinicians, researchers and designers.
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Zabala, Joy Smiley. "THE DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION OF QUALITY INDICATORS FOR ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY SERVICES." UKnowledge, 2007. http://uknowledge.uky.edu/gradschool_diss/517.
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Survey research was used to conduct a formative evaluation of Quality Indicators for Assistive Technology Services (QIAT) by 120 leaders in the field of assistive technology. Survey respondents represented five different types of assistive technology interest and responsibilities: consumers of assistive technology services and family members, district and regional assistive technology leaders, state and national assistive technology leaders, assistive technology leaders in higher education, and assistive technology policy leaders. Respondents reviewed QIAT and completed either print or online electronic versions of a survey in which they provided their perspectives on the need for quality indicators, the importance of each quality indicator contained in QIAT, the clarity of each accompanying intent statement, and the usefulness of QIAT to people with assistive technology interests and responsibilities similar to their own. Results of this investigation suggested that quality indicators are needed to guide the development and delivery of assistive technology services, that the 39 quality indicators contained in QIAT are important, and that QIAT would be useful to people with varied interests and responsibilities in assistive technology. The perceptions of the majority of the participants about QIAT were positive. Analysis of the rankings indicated that every quality indicator contained in QIAT was considered important by greater than 92% of the participants and every intent statement was considered clear by greater than 82% of the participants. Results also indicated that participants believed that some revisions in the wording and reordering of the items contained in QIAT would increase clarity and that the identification and development of training and products aligned to QIAT could aid in the development and delivery of effective assistive technology services. Proposed revisions were made in QIAT as a result of respondent recommendations. Implications for practice, future development, and additional research also were proposed.
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Tripathi, Tara Prakash. "Deconstructing Disability, Assistive Technology: Secondary Orality, The Path to Universal Access." Doctoral diss., University of Central Florida, 2012. http://digital.library.ucf.edu/cdm/ref/collection/ETD/id/5540.
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When Thomas Edison applied for a patent for his phonograph, he listed the talking books for the blind as one of the benefits of his invention. Edison was correct in his claim about talking books or audio books. Audio books have immensely helped the blind to achieve their academic and professional goals. Blind and visually impaired people have also been using audio books for pleasure reading. But several studies have demonstrated the benefits of audio books for people who are not defined as disabled. Many nondisabled people listen to audio books and take advantage of speech based technology, such as text-to-speech programs, in their daily activities. Speech-based technology, however, has remained on the margins of the academic environments, where hegemony of the sense of vision is palpable. Dominance of the sense of sight can be seen in school curricula, class rooms, libraries, academic conferences, books and journals, and virtually everywhere else. This dissertation analyzes the reason behind such an apathy towards technology based on speech. Jacques Derrida's concept of 'metaphysics of presence' helps us understand the arbitrary privileging of one side of a binary at the expense of the other side. I demonstrate in this dissertation that both, the 'disabled' and technology used by them, are on the less privileged side of the binary formation they are part of. I use Derrida's method of 'deconstruction' to deconstruct the binaries of 'assistive' and 'main stream technology' on one hand, and that of the 'disabled' and 'nondisabled' on the other. Donna Haraway and Katherine Hayles present an alternative reading of body to conceive of a post-gendered posthuman identity, I borrow from their work on cyborgism and posthumanism to conceive of a technology driven post-disabled world. Cyberspace is a good and tested example of an identity without body and a space without disability. The opposition between mainstream and speech-based assistive technology can be deconstructed with the example of what Walter Ong calls 'secondary orality.' Both disabled and non-disabled use the speech-based technology in their daily activities. Sighted people are increasingly listening to audio books and podcasts. Secondary Orality is also manifest on their GPS devices. Thus, Secondary Orality is a common element in assistive and mainstream technologies, hitherto segregated by designers. The way Derrida uses the concept of 'incest' to deconstruct binary opposition between Nature and Culture, I employ 'secondary orality' as a deconstructing tool in the context of mainstream and assistive technology. Mainstream electronic devices, smart phones, mp3 players, computers, for instance, can now be controlled with speech and they also can read the screen aloud. With Siri assistant, the new application on iPhone that allows the device to be controlled with speech, we seem to be very close to “the age of talking computers” that William Crossman foretells. As a result of such a progress in speech technology, I argue, we don't need the concept of speech based assistive technology any more.<br>ID: 031001334; System requirements: World Wide Web browser and PDF reader.; Mode of access: World Wide Web.; Adviser: Anthony Grajeda.; Title from PDF title page (viewed April 12, 2013).; Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Central Florida, 2012.; Includes bibliographical references (p. 164-170).<br>Ph.D.<br>Doctorate<br>Arts and Humanities<br>Texts and Technology
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Burgos, Betsy B. "A Study of Assistive Technology Competencies of Specialists in Public Schools." NSUWorks, 2015. http://nsuworks.nova.edu/gscis_etd/60.
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Despite the rapid proliferation of assistive technology implementation, studies have revealed that a number of professionals that provide assistive technology services do not have adequate competencies to recommend and deliver assistive technologies in school settings. The purpose of the study was to examine the competencies of assistive technology specialists in Florida K-12 public schools, and identify training opportunities that may have helped them achieve professional competence in the evaluation and provision of assistive technology devices and services across AT service providers from different preparations.
The study applied quantitative and qualitative methods to determine answers to the following six research questions: (1) to what extent does the perceived level of AT knowledge differ among AT specialists from different occupations in the Florida public school setting, (2) to what extent does the perceived level of AT skills differ among AT specialists from different occupations in the Florida public school setting, (3) what are the AT specialists’ perceptions about their AT knowledge and skill levels, (4) what common competency sets are needed for the AT specialist, regardless of their occupational role, (5) what are the training opportunities among AT specialists from different occupations in the Florida public schools setting, and (6) what type of training opportunities are essential among AT specialists from different occupations in the Florida school setting.
In order to gather data of breadth and depth, the researcher disseminated an online survey, which 39 AT providers from the five Florida school regions completed. Interviews were conducted with seven of the survey respondents to triangulate interview data with the survey data. Results suggested that assistive technology specialists possess different levels of assistive technology knowledge and skills. Assistive technology specialists from different professional backgrounds and years of experience identified a lack of competence in several areas where they currently provide AT services. Assistive technology specialists should seek continuous in-service training to increase their assistive technology knowledge in the evaluation and recommendation of AT equipment and services for students with special needs in schools. This training is vital to meet their students’ assistive technology needs and legislation requirements for assistive technology services for students with disabilities. Recommendations for the improvement of assistive technology professional practice in schools are included in the study.
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Matter, Rebecca. "What works to increase access to assistive technology in southern Africa." Doctoral thesis, Faculty of Health Sciences, 2020. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/32417.
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Access to assistive technologies (AT) is necessary to achieving all 17 sustainable development goals. Yet for most people who need AT in Southern Africa, AT is unaffordable, unavailable, and often inappropriate. My PhD research was guided by the core question: What works to increase access to assistive technology in Southern Africa? Organized into three sub-studies, my research aimed to identify and describe the facilitators and barriers to access AT and develop a theoretical model to inform strategies to increase AT access in Southern Africa. The first two sub-studies listed below were previously published and the full manuscripts are included as separate chapters within the thesis. The three sub-studies included: • Sub-study 1: A scoping review that characterized existing evidence on AT from resource limited environments. Evidence identified was limited in quantity and quality, and primarily focused on mobility and vision types of AT. • Sub-study 2: A secondary analysis (i.e., bivariate regressions) of national survey data from Botswana and Swaziland served to examine factors associated with higher levels of AT access. The type of disability (i.e., mobility vs. non-mobility) was found to be the most important factor in determining AT access in both countries. • Sub-study 3: A regional qualitative sub-study was conducted to increase the understanding of how a multitude of interrelated factors operate to increase the supply of and access to AT. An adapted health systems framework was applied to analyse multiple data sources including stakeholder interviews, documentation review and observations. The thesis is organized into seven chapters. In Chapter 1, I provide background information and conceptual framing of the research topic, assistive technology access within Southern Africa. The research questions and overview of the three sub-studies are included in this introductory chapter. Chapter 2 covers the research methods of all three sub-studies. For the first two sub-studies, a brief overview of data collection and analysis methods are included that reference the more detailed methods presented within each published manuscript. The first two sub-studies are presented as Chapter 3 (scoping review) and Chapter 4 (secondary analysis) within the thesis. The third sub-study (qualitative) provided the most comprehensive data of the three sub-studies and comprises findings presented in Chapter 5 and Chapter 6. In the final chapter, Chapter 7, I synthesize findings from all three sub-studies to identify prominent patterns and present models that aim to explain constraints within the AT sector. The synthesis of evidence showed that AT in Southern Africa does not operate as a sector but as a constellation of uncoordinated parts. The low prioritization of AT and high level of fragmentation within the system emerged as pervasive patterns. The combination of these two patterns result in a wasteful sector. This means that the limited resources invested in funding products and services, and in strengthening the national AT procurement and provision system are not used effectively to increase the supply of and access to appropriate AT. In my further interpretation of data to respond to the core research question: What works to increase access to assistive technology in Southern Africa? I then identify strategic levers to increase AT access. Strategic levers aim to increase resources invested in the AT sector while reducing system-wide inefficiencies. Finally, study limitations and conclusions are presented at the end of this final chapter.
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Marks, Lori J., and M. L. McMurray. "Northeast Tennessee Assistive Technology Cooperative’s Services to the East Tennessee Region." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2007. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/3540.
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