SBIR Phase I: SmartBoard: A Teatherless Electronic Letter Board for People with Severe Communication/Motor Disabilities

这项小型企业创新研究第一阶段研究项目为严重沟通障碍人士开发了一种新型辅助和替代通信（AAC）设备的原型。现有的电子信件板要求用户以一种不自然和繁琐的方式指向，大大降低了他们的有效沟通能力。该项目利用特殊的触觉传感器垫，输出手在表面的压力分布图像。用户无需按下按钮就可以指向单个字母，从而既使用户无法对现有设备产生足够的力量，又减少了所有用户的疲劳。该方案将增加易用性，并通过更容易的目标选择大大提高通信速率。这项拟议的研究主要针对250万美国人，他们无法依靠语音或手写来满足他们的交流需求，需要AAC设备来进行交流。目前的AAC设备价格昂贵，许多人在不同的情况下需要多个设备。这项创新将使已经使用电子通信设备的人能够提高他们的通信速度，同时减少疲劳和重复性压力伤害的风险。对于那些目前由于运动障碍而无法使用电子设备的人来说，这项研究将通过提供电子AAC设备的所有好处而不需要费力或尴尬的交互负担，从而开辟新的可能性。这项技术的最终用户将受益于生活质量的提高，因为他们可以更好地获得通信，获得更大的独立性，并改善教育、就业和社会生活的机会。此外，该研究将通过从计算机视觉领域到触觉图像解释领域的知识转移，广泛推进触觉压力图像中物体识别和跟踪的最新技术。

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I research project develops a prototype of a novel Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) device for people with severe communication disabilities. Existing electronic letter boards require the user to point in an unnatural and cumbersome way, significantly reducing their effective communication abilities. The project utilizes special tactile sensor mats that output images of the hand pressure distribution on the surface. Users will be able to point at individual letters without having to press buttons, thereby both enabling users unable to produce sufficient force for existing devices and reducing fatigue of all users. The solution will increase ease-of-use and greatly enhance the communication rate through easier target selection. This proposed research targets primarily the more the 2.5 million Americans who are unable to rely on speech or handwriting for their communication needs and require AAC devices for their communication. Current AAC devices are expensive, and many people require more than one device for different situations. This innovation will allow people who already use electronic communication devices to increase their communication rate while simultaneously reducing fatigue and the risk for Repetitive Stress Injuries. For others who are currently unable to use electronic devices due to the extent of their motor disability, this research it will open new possibilities by offering all benefits of electronic AAC devices without the burden of strenuous or awkward interaction. End users of this technology will benefit from an improved quality of life by way of greater independence arising from better access to communication and improved opportunities for education, employment, and social living. Additionally, the research will broadly advance the state-of-the-art in object recognition and tracking from tactile pressure images through a knowledge transfer from the computer vision domain to the domain of tactile imagery interpretation.