DEVELOPMENT OF THE FUNCTION AND UTILITY OF AN EXTENDIBLE PNEUMATIC MOUTHSTICK

MOUTHSTICKS OR ORTHODONTIC ORTHOSES ARE WIDELY USED BY PEOPLE WITH SPINAL CHORD INJURIES OR SIMILAR DISABILITIES TO INCREASE CONTROL OVER THEIR ENVIRONMENT. PEOPLE WITH THE ADDITIONAL LIMITATION OF LITTLE OR NO ANTERIOR/POSTERIOR HEAD MOTION MAY BENEFIT FROM AN EXTENDIBLE MOUTHSTICK. HOWEVER, COMMERCIAL EXTENDIBLE MOUTHSTICKS SUFFER IN THAT THEIR ACTION IS OFTEN SLOW, EXTENDIBILITY IS LIMITED, OR OPERATION IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT FOR THOSE WITH REDUCED RESPIRATORY FUNCTION. THUS, THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO IMPROVE THE FUNCTION OF THESE DEVICES. THE ALFRED I. DUPONT INSTITUTE (AIDI) HAS DEMONSTRATED A PNEUMATICALLY POWERED EXTENDIBLE MOUTHSTICK TO AMELIORATE THESE PROBLEMS. A SIMPLE PROTOTYPE HAS BEEN CONSTRUCTED TO ILLUSTRATE THE VIABILITY OF PNEUMATIC OPERATION. HOWEVER, SEVERAL ISSUES MUST BE RESEARCHED IN ORDER TO DEVELOP A UNIT SUITABLE FOR TRIAL USE. THIS PROJECT WILL STUDY DESIGN CONFIGURATIONS WITH INVOLVEMENT OF A DESIGN REVIEW BOARD CONSISTING OF CONSUMERS, ENGINEERS, AND MEDICAL EXPERTS. A PROTOTYPE WILL BE PRODUCED WHICH WILL MEET AS MANY OF THE CONSUMER, MEDICAL, AND FDA BICOMPATIBILITY REQUIREMENTS AS POSSIBLE WITHIN THE BUDGET. CLOSE CONSIDERATION WILL BE GIVEN TO ISSUES WHICH WILL AFFECT THE ABILITY FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PNEUMATIC MOUTHSTICK INTO A COMMERCIAL PRODUCT(PHASE II).