Page 166 - Handbook of Electronic Assistive Technology

154 HANDBOOK OF ELECTRONIC ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY

support. She is alone overnight and has a community alarm lifeline telephone for emer-
gency help with a neck worn pendant.
Violet relies on a wheelchair for seating and mobility in which she stays for most of the
daytime. At times she is able to get her right hand onto the propelling rim of her wheel-
chair, and adjust her location or orientation within the room, although this movement is
limited.
Violet has previously used speech recognition software for entering text onto a com-
puter, but this was some time ago and she has not used a computer recently. Her hearing
is normal given age-related deterioration.

VIOLET’S GOALS AND EXPECTATIONS
1� Control of a landline telephone to answer incoming calls.
2� Making outgoing calls to a number of friends and various carers.
3� Selecting a number of channels on the television in the living room and bedroom.
4� Operating the door entry intercom at the communal entrance gate and the door to the
block of flats to identify visitors and allow access.
5� Releasing the door to the flat for visitors.
6� Computer access.

ECS INTERVENTION
Control of items 1–3 is achieved through the provision of a Possum Freeway control
unit and an infrared (IR)-controlled EC telephone in the living room and bedroom,
with audio announcement of the menu selection items as Violet prefers to listen to the
items as scanned, rather than try to look at the display. A button switch located behind
her head is fitted to a flexible ‘gooseneck’ arm attached to the rear of her wheelchair.
She is able to operate this easily with rearward head movement, as she prefers not to
have the wheelchair headrest fitted when inside. The switch is connected to a remote
transmitter attached to the rear of the chair, which relays the switch signal to the EC
unit located on the sideboard. The Freeway has a single menu of functions and Violet
finds this easier to follow audibly rather than a series of submenus. She also prefers not
to have an EC unit fitted onto her wheelchair, but rather to use it remotely from her
chair.
The challenge of enabling her to access the internet was limited by her visual
impairment.
The communal door entry system is not compatible for interfacing to an ECS. Also, it
was not possible to fit a standalone EC intercom system at the flat door without minor
adaptations and permission from the housing managing agent. As Violet already has an
established arrangement with the concierge for visitors to gain access, she chose to con-
tinue with this.

FOLLOW-UP
Violet’s hand function deteriorated, and it became increasingly difficult for her to operate
the pendant of the community alarm lifeline telephone. An alternative means of activation