Low-Cost Joystick for Pediatric Respiratory Exercises

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Rehabilitation Technology
• Human-Computer Interaction

Background:

• Body signal monitoring is increasingly used in healthcare.
• Respiratory flow monitoring is valuable for physiotherapy.
• Existing solutions may lack affordability and customizability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a low-cost electronic device for respiratory physiotherapy.
• To create a breath-controlled joystick for computer interaction.
• To enable customized respiratory training through game-based therapy.

Main Methods:

• Designed a device using a pressure sensor to detect blows and suctions.
• Integrated the sensor with a microcontroller to emulate a keyboard.
• Developed a system allowing calibration of breath intensity to computer actions.
• Conducted practical tests using free online games with therapeutic configurations.

Main Results:

• The device successfully detected and translated varying breath intensities into keyboard actions.
• Practical tests demonstrated the joystick's functionality in controlling online games.
• The calibration feature allowed customization for different pulmonary capacities.

Conclusions:

• The proposed low-cost joystick is a viable tool for respiratory physiotherapy.
• Breath-controlled gaming offers an engaging method for pediatric rehabilitation.
• The device's customizability supports personalized therapeutic interventions.