August 27, 2014

Google Glass – Revolutionising The Lives Of The Disabled

By Daniel Price

Revolutionizing The Lives Of The Disabled

As part of our ongoing series about how wearable tech is changing certain industries. we’ve already looked at how it’s being used by professional sports teams, neurological scientists, and the world of healthcare. Another area in which is it instigating profound changes is in the world of helping people with disabilities. We already know that cloud computing can assist the disabled, but what about specifically Google Glass?

Andy Lin, a Technology Specialist at the Centre for Applied Rehabilitation Technology at ‘Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Centre’, is hoping to customise the device in an attempt to provide new levels of accessibility for his patients. One unnamed patient who has benefited the most from Lin’s tweaks suffers from muscular dystrophy. The patient in question already is forced to use a wheelchair for mobility and a ventilator for breathing; his limited motor skills means until now he has been unable to enjoy a hobby that most people taking for granted – photography.

“He was just moved by the ability to take a picture. I think with a lot of our patients that may be the feature they would use the most – being able to take pictures and share it with friends and family. The patients have been really enthused about and supportive of the project,” Lin said. “It seems like word about Google Glass here at the hospital has spread like wildfire. It’s definitely fun showing the device to people and seeing their reactions. I most enjoy when I demo it to patients though, and seeing their faces light up,”

Another patient called Rosie has also drawn huge benefit’s from Lin’s work. She has very limited mobility and is required to use a wheelchair. Sadly, she cannot speak and needs to use a synthesised voice machine to communicate, while additional lacking the motor control to used the touchpad on Glass. To overcome the issue, Lin has been experimenting with switch access –  an assistive technology device that replaces the need to use a computer keyboard or mouse. He hopes patients with both cognitive and physical disabilities can take advantage – allowing sufferers of ALS, cerebral palsy, spinal cord injuries, strokes, and brain injuries to all ultimately improve their quality of life.

Due to the device’s features such as eye control (where a wink can take a photo) and head control gestures, Lin’s expects to be able to further customise the machine to help patients with no motor control at all. He is also working on a bluetooth joystick, allowing users to circumnavigate the need for voice control and manage the devices directly from their wheelchairs. He is collaborating with developers in an attempt to build prototype machines that can test the above ideas.

By Daniel Price

Daniel Price

Daniel is a Manchester-born UK native who has abandoned cold and wet Northern Europe and currently lives on the Caribbean coast of Mexico. A former Financial Consultant, he now balances his time between writing articles for several industry-leading tech (CloudTweaks.com & MakeUseOf.com), sports, and travel sites and looking after his three dogs.
David Cantor

Impact of AI in Storytelling and Creativity 

These are monumental topics that command volumes of diligent research, backed by empirical evidence and [...]
Read more

Innovative Solutions Ensuring Cybersecurity in Cloud-Native Deployments

Innovative Solutions Ensuring Cybersecurity The digital landscape is evolving at a breakneck pace, and organizations [...]
Read more
Craig Lowell

Scaling Smart: Planning Strategically for Cloud Expansion

Scaling Strategically As cloud spending continues to surge, managing and forecasting costs has become a [...]
Read more
Jeremy Smillie

Securing the Future: Insights from DevSecOps Expert, Jeremy Smillie

Welcome to another insightful discussion on CloudTweaks. Today, we have the privilege of delving into [...]
Read more
finOps-tech

Cloud FinOps in the Age of AI: Key Trends

AI Era: Key Trends in Cloud FinOps Cloud FinOps goes beyond simply saving money on [...]
Read more
Vulnerabilities

Flashpoint’s Cyber Threat Intelligence Index Edition

Cyber Threat Intelligence In an era of rapid digital transformation, we have witnessed a concerning [...]
Read more

SPONSOR PARTNER

Explore top-tier education with exclusive savings on online courses from MIT, Oxford, and Harvard through our e-learning sponsor. Elevate your career with world-class knowledge. Start now!
© 2024 CloudTweaks. All rights reserved.