Imaged-Based Human Computer Interfaces for People with Severe Disabilities

• Main Authors: Chin-Yen Yeh, 葉錦諺
• Other Authors: Mu-Chun Su
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2008
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/33ce4g

碩士 === 國立中央大學 === 資訊工程研究所 === 96 === This paper presents an implementation of a low-cost image-based communication aid system which allows people with disabilities to use their limited voluntary motions to communicate with family and friends, access computers, and control TV and air conditioner, etc. The system consists of only one low-cost web camera and a personal computer. The communication aid dichotomizes daily living necessities into 7 groups (e.g., Voiced Messages, Typing, Home Appliance Control, Help, A/V Entertainments, Web Surfing, Messages). In addition to the seven selections, Suspend and Exit, are another two available options. The system provides users with three kinds of operational interfaces to operate the communication aid. First of all, people who still are able to control their arms can operate the system via the movements of their arms. Secondly, for people who still can voluntarily open and close their mouths, the system can be operated via the open and the closure of the mouth. Thirdly, for people with severe disabilities, an extreme disability such as severe cerebral palsy or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, the system can be operated via eye blinks. People with different kinds of disabilities can choose an appropriate operational interface from the aforementioned three interfaces to operate the communication aid. Experimental results show that the performance of the proposed communication aid is very encouraging.