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Published on: August 8, 2019
Application of a novel integrated pointing device apparatus for children with cerebral palsy
Chia-Ling Chen1, Ching-Yi Wu, Hsieh-Ching Chen
1Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Chang Gung Memorial and Children Hospital, Taipei, ROC.
Insights
The Integrated Pointing Device Apparatus (IPDA) aids children with cerebral palsy (CP) in computer use. This new device allows children with severe CP to operate computers more effectively, adapting to their motor control needs.
Area of Science:
- Rehabilitation Engineering
- Assistive Technology
- Pediatric Neurology
Background:
- Children with cerebral palsy (CP) often face challenges with standard computer input devices.
- Developing adaptive computer interfaces is crucial for improving the quality of life and independence for individuals with severe disabilities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of a novel Integrated Pointing Device Apparatus (IPDA) for computer operation in children with CP.
- To compare the performance of children with CP using the IPDA with that of healthy children.
Main Methods:
- Twenty-seven children with quadriplegic CP and 15 healthy children participated in the study.
- Participants completed three standardized mouse operation tasks.
- Children with CP were grouped based on hand usage: one hand (Group A) or both hands with IPDA (Group B).
Main Results:
- Group A showed higher efficiency in continuous-clicking tasks compared to Group B (p < 0.05).
- Group B achieved comparable efficiency in target-acquisition (30% NL) and drag-and-drop (20% NL) tasks using the IPDA.
- Children in Group B had a higher prevalence of spastic-athetoid CP and were all at Gross Motor Functional Classification System (GMFCS) Level 3.
Conclusions:
- The IPDA enhances computer operational efficiency for children with CP who struggle with conventional mice.
- The optimal operation method for children with CP is influenced by their specific motor control abilities.
Background:
To improve the computer operation of children suffering from cerebral palsy (CP) with severe disabilities, more flexible pointing devices are required. This study investigates the effectiveness of a newly developed Integrated Pointing Device Apparatus (IPDA) that can integrate numerous commercial pointing devices.
Methods:
We enrolled 27 children with quadriplegic CP and 15 healthy children. All children were required to perform three specific mouse operation tasks. Children with CP were classified into two groups based on hand operation: one hand (group A) and both hands (group B). The efficiency of children with CP in each mouse operation task was expressed as a percentage of that for normal children (% NL).
Results:
Group A operated a standard mouse with their dominant hand; group B had to use both hands to operate a mouse via IPDA. Group A demonstrated better efficiency of continuous-clicking tasks than group B (p < 0.05). Group B had a similar level of efficiency in the target-acquisition task (30% NL) and drag-and-drop task (20% NL) as that of group A, although group B could not operate a standard mouse with one hand. All children in group A were spastic quadriplegia, while 30% of children in group B were spastic-athetoid (p < 0.05). All children in group B were at level 3 of the gross motor functional classification system (GMFCS) but only 57% of children in group A were at level 3 (p < 0.05).
Conclusion:
The IPDA can help some children with CP, who cannot utilize a commercial mouse alone, to achieve acceptable operational efficiency. The operation methods for children with CP were determined by their underlying motor control.
