Evaluation of tooth-click triggering and speech recognition in assistive technology for computer access

Area of Science:

• Rehabilitation Engineering
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Assistive Technology

Background:

• Computer access is crucial for employment and leisure post-spinal cord injury.
• Prior research demonstrated tooth-click devices with optical head mice for computer control in tetraplegia.
• This study evaluates alternative assistive technologies for computer interaction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the efficacy of tooth clicks versus speech recognition for computer control.
• To compare the performance of optical head mice versus gyrometer head mice.
• To assess hands-free computer control for individuals with tetraplegia.

Main Methods:

• Six able-bodied and three tetraplegic participants controlled a computer using tooth clicks or speech recognition, and optical or gyrometer head mice.
• Participants performed cursor movements and mouse clicks on computer-displayed targets.
• Task completion time for target acquisition and clicking was recorded.

Main Results:

• Tooth clicks, with either head mouse type, enabled hands-free control at up to 22% of standard mouse speed.
• Tooth clicks significantly outperformed speech recognition in generating mouse clicks with both head mouse devices.
• Both head mouse types showed comparable performance when paired with tooth clicks.

Conclusions:

• Tooth-click detection is more effective than speech recognition for computer control in individuals with tetraplegia.
• This system shows potential for improving computer access and independence for people with spinal cord injuries.
• Further development of tooth-click interfaces could enhance digital inclusion for disabled populations.