| dc.description.abstract | 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. | en_US |