Applying Consumer Technologies to Assistive Device Design

Assistive Device Technology (ADT) helps people with disabilities to engage in everyday activities that might not otherwise be open to them. For people with severe paralysis or spinal injury ADT is a necessity, yet the cost associated with these technologies are still relatively high. In order to reduce these costs a mass - market consumer technology has been identified which can be applied to ADT and developed a new system for Electric Powered Wheelchairs which will allow a person with reduced mobility the capacity to control and navigate powered wheelchair systems using small finger movements. A prototype of the system has been developed and tested by able-bodied and disabled users.