MICROCOMPUTER BASED REHABILITATION - PHASE I

THE PURPOSE OF THIS PROPOSAL IS TO DEVELOP A PROTOTYPE DEVICE FOR TRAINING COGNITIVELY OR PHYSICALLY IMPAIRED INDIVIDUALS IN VARIOUS SKILLS, USING AN INTERACTIVE SOFTWARE SYSTEM WITH A MICROCOMPUTER. IN ORDER TO MAXIMIZE THE UTILITY OF SUCH A DEVICE, INVESTIGATORS WILL FOCUS CONCENTRATION ON THREE TASKS. (1) THE INCORPORATION OF INPUT DEVICES, SUCH AS A TOUCH PLATE, ELECTRO-OCULOGRAPHY UNITS (DEVICES WHICH COMMUNICATE BY RECORDING EYE MOVEMENTS), ELECTROMYOGRAPHY UNITS (WHICH INVOLVES DIFFERENTIAL APPEARANCES OF NERVE IMPULSE IN DIFFERENT MUSCULAR GROUPS) AND VOICE SYNTHESIS DEVICE WHICH CAN DISTINGUISH BETWEEN DIFFERENT FORMS OF SOUND OUTPUTS. THIS ASPECT OF THE PROPOSAL IS DESIGNED TO OVERCOME HANDICAPPED PERSON'S DIFFICULTY IN CONTROLLING INPUTS INTO COMPUTER USING CURRENT DEVICES, SUCH AS TYPEWRITERS OR JOY STICK CONTROLS. (2) THE DEVELOPMENT OF SOFTWARE PROGRAMS TO PRESENT THERAPY TASKS THAT ARE REQUIRED FOR TRAINING PROGRAMS FOR THE IMPAIRED. (3) THE DESIGN OF SOFTWARE PROGRAMS IN A FASHION THAT INDIVIDUAL THERAPISTS CAN ADAPT TO TRAINING PROGRAMS TO MEET THE SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS OF EACH PATIENT. THE POTENTIAL FINAL PRODUCT IS A DEVICE WHICH A THERAPIST CAN USE TO SPECIFY THE TRAINING PROGRAM AND A PATIENT CAN INTERACT WITH AS A TRAINEE.